Deidre Young, CMP, CGMP
Senior Conference Manager/Project Manager
AFYA, Inc.
Laurel, Md.
Do you find that your booking window (the time between booking a meeting and the actual event) is increasing or shrinking recently?
Decreasing.
Are you finding it harder to book rooms/meeting space in a short timeframe at hotels and other meeting facilities?
Yes, because we require government rates, the dates are usually not flexible and we have such a short timeframe to coordinate the meeting.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding?
Staying the same.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding?
Staying the same.
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 budget. Increased by 5%-10%.
Do you expect your budget to increase or decrease in 2012?
Will increase by 5%-10%.
Do you expect your attendance to increase or decrease in 2012?
Stay the same.
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?
Depending on the government agency we support, perception can be more important than others.
Are there any destinations or facility types that are considered “off-limits” due to perception problems or the current economic climate?
Not anymore. We use to avoid properties with the words “Resort” and “Spa” in their name, but in certain areas this cannot be avoided. We just make sure to do due diligence and demonstrate that the property selected offered the best deal to the client.
Have you planned, or do you expect to plan, virtual/videoconference meetings?
Yes, we plan several webinars and expect to hold more in the future. We are considering videoconference and webcasting.
Are you exploring the possibility, or have you already held, a “hybrid” meeting (meetings that combine live events with an Internet/digital component? If so, what are your observations?
We have not held one but are exploring the options. Observations: You need the right fit--meeting, topic, participants, speakers--to make this work effectively.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
They are trying to incorporate more, especially interactive sessions.
Have you offered, or do you think you will offer, a CSR (corporate social responsibility) component to your meetings?
This is being considered now.
Are sustainable (green) meetings something your organization has moved toward? If not, do you expect to implement more-sustainable meetings in the future?
We have reviewed the information and discussed it, but have not made any concrete steps to really make this a priority.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced more, or less, strictly recently?
Depends on the date and the hotel chain. We make sure to include specific guidelines in our contracts to help mitigate attrition occurring or paying any of these costs.
Do you feel the pendulum is swinging back to being a seller’s market?
Depends on the location. I do not think it has gone back totally to a seller’s market but there are times when the planner is at their mercy.
Do you find that you had much more leverage on room rates during the last year?
Rates no, but concessions, sometimes.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
Not at this time. We do not know what we want to do and do not have in-house personnel to keep these sites current.
Have you planned more meetings closer to your organization’s headquarters (“drive-to” meetings) recently?
Yes. Government staff do not have the funds to travel to meetings.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago?
Less optimistic because we are being scrutinized (unnecessarily) and our perception/image in the public eye is not as good as it should be, mainly due to ignorance of what we do.
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 still think it is a free for all. The overall economy will have a huge impact on where we do. Costs will rise, just because they do, but suppliers really need to look at the value they provide; they also need to stop trying to nickel-and-dime planners to make up revenue losses in other areas. Budgets will increase because of costs and attendance rising, though not to previous levels for some meetings.
