Following the inaugural IMEX America trade show in October, the IMEX Group released predictions for 2012 on several aspects of the group travel business. The prognostications are based on buzz at the show as well as post-event survey data.
There is a trend toward more—but smaller or shorter—meetings, and some attendance growth at association meetings.
Interest from the corporate sector is returning, and demand for incentive travel is on the rise, according to surveyed show participants. Increased globalization in terms of planning and destination choice also came through in the survey. And the definition of a “new” or “emerging” destination is broadening.
Meanwhile, with continued economic pressures in many world markets, the strong push for “added value” from buyers over the next 12-plus months will remain. Convention centers and some hotels are leading the way with value-adds such as free Wi-Fi or green meeting consulting services. Organizations also are being asked to provide as much free knowledge and education content as possible.
Further, while industry growth is a welcome development, many survey respondents noted they are feeling the squeeze by having to do more, work with smaller staffs and against ever-tightening turnaround times. This will likely not change in 2012.
On the corporate social responsibility side, “green supply-chain analysis” and ‘“esponsible business” were growing trends identified and discussed by experts at the IMEX America Sustainability Center (a show floor area devoted to green and corporate social responsibility, or CSR, education.)
Multinational companies such as Proctor & Gamble and Walmart are leading the way in developing supplier rankings, and companies are increasingly being given or offered incentives to reuse and recycle goods, products and materials. Expect to see more companies and alliances to make it easier for organizations to work together to achieve their green or CSR goals.
But of course, everyone’s attention today is on social media. In post-IMEX America surveys, 87.5 percent of hosted buyers reported using LinkedIn for business, with Facebook at 70.8 percent, Twitter at 50 percent and YouTube at 22.4 percent.
And these sites have upside potential: 42.5 percent said social media helps them generate business. Buyers also reported a more than 50 percent increase in recent social media usage.
One of the biggest trends is the need to capture and leverage education content, both during and after live events. Driven by a never-ending surge of Internet, smartphone and tablet use, there has been a widespread desire for high quality, easily accessible knowledge-sharing and education “on-demand.” This will continue.
Also expect to see meetings industry education being delivered in increasingly interactive and diverse ways, including the use of gaming technology.