Debra (Debbie) Kulik
Program Manager
MasiMax Resources (A wholly owned subsidiary of RTI International)
Rockville, Md.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding? Why?
No change at this time. We are a federal government contractor, and haven’t been impacted much by the economy.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding? Why?
No change. Our attendees are invited to specific meetings, rather than having them open to the general public.
Did you have a smaller budget to work with last year? If so, how much do you estimate it was decreased?
No change, as most of our meetings are funded by federal government contracts.
How are possible perception problems affecting your meetings and your planning of meetings?
No changes noted.
Are there any destinations or facility types that are now considered “off-limits” due to perception problems or the current economic climate?
Our meetings for federal clients have generally been held at full-service hotels in major urban markets, such as D.C., Boston, San Diego and Chicago. We did not use resorts, cruise ships or luxury hotels as meeting sites.
Have government regulations or actions affected your programs? If so, how?
Not really, as we have always been required to find hotels offering the current federal per diem rate (as established by the GSA) for that geographic area. Where we are running into trouble is dealing with federal regulations that make the provision of food for meeting attendees very difficult [and] depending on the federal agency, different.
Are you finding that you are scheduling more meeting sessions per day, and if so, is it at the expense of entertainment or events that are more social in nature?
Our meetings have always been full with educational sessions. We still have some networking sessions, as these are often essential to the collaboration and communication that are part of the meeting.
Are you scheduling more educational components for your meetings? If so, why?
Unchanged from previous years.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
Federal government meetings generally do not include formal, organized social activities. We still try to plan a group dinner for the meeting participants, but they are responsible for payment for their meals.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced less strictly? Can you share any comments/observations about this?
I haven’t noticed any changes.
Do you find that you had much more leverage on room rates during the last year? If so, please give an idea how much discounting you are seeing.
Government per diem rates (set by GSA) have been the determining factor in selecting a meeting hotel. We have found that several hotels are willing to offer rooms below the per diem rate, which we did not see five years ago.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
Not at this time, although our parent company (RTI) has a presence on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Are you taking less (or no) FAM trips? If so, why?
I never took FAM trips, so this does not apply to me.
How do you think 2010 will shape up for the meetings industry? Where do you see costs (hotel, restaurant, venue prices, etc.) going? Do you think your budget and/or attendance will increase or decrease? Why?
I think one of the biggest trends in the meeting industry are virtual—Web-based meetings--that will augment, or in some cases replace face-to-face meetings as they are more cost-effective. Additionally, technology, such as webcasting live, will allow greater audiences to participate without having to pay travel or hotel costs.