Sandy Biback, CMP, CMM
Principal
Imagination+Meeting Planners Inc.
Toronto
Do you find that your booking window is increasing or shrinking recently? Are you finding it harder to book rooms/meeting space in a short timeframe at hotels and other meeting facilities?
For association clients, usually further out. For corporate & short term—harder to book to get what I need.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding?
Shrinking a bit—last day is half-day instead of full-day (associations are my main business).
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding?
About the same. I think social media has a play in why numbers aren’t expanding. So much is available online, and, also, difficult to get out of office these days—or take time from personal life, such as it is.
Did you have a smaller or larger budget to work with last year? If so, how much do you estimate it was decreased or increased?
Smaller-clients all want the bells and whistles without paying for them. Decreased--as much as possible—more decrease is better to association clients.
Do you expect your budget to increase or decrease in 2012?
Difficult to say.
Do you expect your attendance to increase or decrease in 2012?
Increased from 2011 for 2012 conference already. (major client). 2013 is joint, so impossible to guess.
Are perception problems (meeting at luxurious properties, resort destinations, etc.) a great concern for your organization? Have they become less of a concern than they were in 2010, and do you expect them to present any perception problems in 2012?
Was not as big an issue in Canada as in U.S.
Have you planned, or do you expect to plan, virtual/videoconference meetings? Do you expect to see more virtual meetings in the future?
I think virtual meetings/hybrids are the way to go—when it is the right method of delivery. As in association world—educational sessions really have to know their socks of now.
Are you exploring the possibility, or have you already held, a “hybrid” meeting (meetings that combine live events with an Internet/digital component?
Currently exploring—would love to find a client willing to try it—again; mostly association (and midsize) market.
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?
Not more sessions--starting earlier.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
Less activity—no spousal; only one evening event.
Have you offered, or do you think you will offer, a CSR (corporate social responsibility) component to your meetings?
All our clients have a CSR component--it’s what we suggest and none have turned us down. We make the CSR relevant to client and to the city we are in.
Are sustainable (green) meetings something your organization has moved toward? If not, do you expect to implement more-sustainable meetings in the future?
Depends on the client—we try to work with venues to do what we can. Yes, it will be a bigger concern as we move forward. You might want to check out www.unwto.org for this and CSR.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced more, or less, strictly recently?
Fortunately, haven’t fallen into attrition in a long time. We monitor very carefully and don’t over-promise properties.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
Personally, I use Facebook and Linkedin. Clients: Depends, I have some who still don’t use any.
Have you planned more meetings closer to your organization’s headquarters (“drive-to” meetings) recently?
Actually, going to suggest this to one client at the close of their conference this year. I believe regionals are more suited to this organization then one large conference.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago?
I’m always optimistic. Been around 30 years. Seen the ups and downs, and we always come back. We’ve been around for thousands of years—I’m sure many ups and downs have occurred!
How do you think 2012 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?
I’m seeing some tighter contracts. I’m seeing some pricing increasing. Budgets: depends on the client and what they need. See above—want all bells and whistles—what they sometimes get is half-bells and whistles, and then following the event, increase the budget when they see the value in bells and whistles (and I’m talking simple things like lighting. AV seems to be the first to go!)
