Kay Bothwell, CMP
Department of Labor & Employment
Division of Workers' Compensation/Physicians Accreditation
Denver
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?
My booking window has decreased but mostly because my employer is not wanting me to start booking space out as far I used to. It was easier booking it out farther, I think, but I have to follow orders. It is easier for me to book meeting space in a shorter time frame (30 days) since I do not have any guaranteed sleeping rooms. Most of the attendees are local, so therefore I just do a courtesy block of 10 or 15 rooms or less for those that live on the western slope or far enough away to warrant staying overnight. My preference is to book most meetings at least six months out, but that has not been happening lately. Lately, it has been three-four months out if I am lucky.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding?
The duration of our meeting remain the same as they are the same educational training sessions that are offered every year.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding?
This last year the attendance for new doctors becoming accredited increased while the number for re-accreditation was less. Our re-accreditation training seminars go in a three-year cycle--year one really full (more than 200), year two is less (185) and year three (150). This is the normal cycle every three years.
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?
Our budget was decreased a couple years ago and it was necessary for us to save enough in food and beverage and meeting room rental to cover the cost of the CME credits being provided to the physicians.
Do you expect your budget to increase or decrease in 2012?
I expect the budget to stay the same for 2012.
Do you expect your attendance to increase or decrease in 2012?
I expect the attendance to stay about the same in 2012, with maybe a few less needing to do their re-accreditation in 2012.
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?
Perceptive problems are not a big concern as long as they are willing to work within the budget that is presented to them. I do not expect them to present any problem in the future as long as I remain within the budget lines.
Are there any destinations or facility types that are considered “off-limits” due to perception problems or the current economic climate?
None that I know of. I tend to stay away of hotels/facilities that require you pay for parking. Our attendees do not like to pay for parking so I look for a facility with free parking.
Have you planned, or do you expect to plan, virtual/videoconference meetings? Do you expect to see more virtual meetings in the future?
I have not planned or expect to plan a virtual/videoconference meeting. The type of training seminars we do are not conducive to virtual/videoconference meetings. We do a lot of hands-on of looking at case examples and discussing those cases. I do not expect to see virtual meetings in the future either based on the kind of training that we do.
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?
No, I am not exploring the possibility of holding a "hybrid" meeting as it is necessary for us to provide case examples that are discussed and a rating given on meaning they need actual hands on material that can be handed in. Most of our attendees do not bring a lap top with them to these meetings as they have too many other things that they need to use laying on their table.
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 sessions start at 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. in the morning and continue through 5/6 p.m. with no time for entertainment or social events, except for lunch and breaks. Social events are not a part of our educational training seminars.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
No activities, except for educational workshop sessions and lectures, are included in our agenda.
Are sustainable (green) meetings something your organization has moved toward? If not, do you expect to implement more-sustainable meetings in the future?
Based on the way our seminars are taught and the amount of paper handouts used in order to be able to teach the information that must be taught, green meetings are not something that are followed.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced more, or less, strictly recently?
The attrition clauses are usually crossed off on our contracts since we are a government entity.
Do you feel the pendulum is swinging back to being a seller’s market?
I do feel the pendulum is swinging back to being a little more a seller's market than it has been in the past, but if a hotel is looking for government business, they are usually willing to work within our budgetary means. Some hotels are more interested in corporate business and that is definitely more of a seller’s market.
Do you find that you had much more leverage on room rates during the last year?
I did not deal much with room rates. The ones in the courtesy block were at or below government per diem so I was satisfied as well as the doctors seemed to be satisified.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
No, the state does not consider social networking websites appropriate for our use. In fact, they are working on blocking all of them. I find that face-to-face and calls on the phone are a good way to network and communicate with people.
Have you planned more meetings closer to your organization’s headquarters (“drive-to” meetings) recently?
Most of our meetings are held in Denver as that is centrally located for the majority of our attendees. The attendance is better when being held in Outlying Denver in lieu of Colorado Springs or the Western Slope.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago?
I am more optimistic as things are beginning to get a little better, but it still has a ways to go.
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 think 2012 will shape up in a more positive fashion for the meeting industry--maybe only by 15%-20%, but at least some. Costs are going to continue to go up, but those hotels really wanting meeting business will be willing to make it just a small increase in order to regain business and/or new business.I see all prices going up--hotel, restauant, venue, etc. I do not expect our budget to increase--I will just have to hold good educational seminars are a smaller budget.
