Erin O’Brien
National sales manager
Aqua Blue Meetings LLC
Clearwater, Fla.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding? Why?
Remaining the same. We work with mostly association clients and the schedule and duration of their meetings has not changed in the last several years.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding? Why?
Attendance at large meetings (conventions) has been shrinking over the last two to three years, but we are hoping for and expecting a slight increase with the next convention. Attendance at smaller meetings (board and committee meetings) has been expanding over the last year, due in large part to an increased marketing effort by our staff.
Did you have a smaller budget to work with last year? If so, how much do you estimate it was decreased?
Yes, approximate budget decrease is 3 percent to 5 percent.
Do you expect your budget to increase in 2011?
The budget will most likely remain the same in 2011.
Do you expect your attendance to increase in 2011?
Yes, we are expecting an 8 percent to 10 percent increase.
Are perception problems (meeting and luxurious properties, resort destinations, etc.?) a great concern for your organization? Have they become less of a concern in the past few months, and do you expect them to be a problem in 2011?
Most of our clients are nonprofit associations, and the purpose of their meetings is education and networking. Perception is generally not an issue.
Are there any destinations or facility types that are now considered “off-limits” due to perception problems or the current economic climate?
No.
Have you planned, or do you expect to plan, virtual/videoconference meetings? Do you expect to see more virtual meetings in the future?
We do not currently plan virtual meetings but plan to do so in the future.
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?
Yes, we have expanded the educational offerings on certain days of the meetings. This will not take the place of any planned social events, only activities attendees would participate in on their own free time.
Are you scheduling more educational components for your meetings? If so, why?
Yes, we have had multiple requests from meeting attendees to include more educational sessions and will be doing so for our next meeting.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
Additional presentations have been scheduled.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced less strictly? Can you share any comments/observations about this?
We work closely with the property and are diligent about attrition clauses as to not incur any penalties.
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.
Yes, we have been able to secure some of the lowest rates in years at properties that otherwise would have been out of our budget range. Discounts are anywhere from 10 percent to 25 percent.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so which ones and why?
Yes, we use Facebook and YouTube to promote meeting and events.
Have you planned more meetings closer to your organization’s headquarters (“drive-to” meetings) recently? If so, why?
No, as our association’s members are spread throughout the country.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago? Why?
More optimistic, as we can now see “the light at the end of the tunnel.”
How do you think 2011 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?
2011 will continue to offer great deals on properties, F&B and ancillary services to meeting planners. However as the economy improves and meetings become more frequent, the deep discounts will begin to be harder to get and we will see slightly more leverage on the hotel’s side.
