Tom Anderson, CMP
Director of Conferences and Events
Technology Services Industry Association
San Diego
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?
No I book multi-year contracts in the U.S. and 18 months in Europe.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding?
Same as always; three days.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding?
Expanding by 10%.
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?
Larger by 10%.
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?
No. We use business hotels, no resorts.
Are there any destinations or facility types that are 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?
No and yes.
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.
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 days are full of business sessions. We have networking receptions in our trade show and we provide networking dining options at attendees’ own expense.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
Nothing cut--more content added, such as executive breakfasts, table topic sessions.
Have you offered, or do you think you will offer, a CSR (corporate social responsibility) component to your meetings?
No.
Are sustainable (green) meetings something your organization has moved toward? If not, do you expect to implement more-sustainable meetings in the future?
No.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced more, or less, strictly recently?
In Europe, definitely. In the U.S., they are enforced but fortunately we have not had any issues.
Do you feel the pendulum is swinging back to being a seller’s market?
Yes.
Do you find that you had much more leverage on room rates during the last year?
I was able to sign multiyear contracts during the recession so I have great rates, great F&B pricing and lots of concessions, that probably you could not get today.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
Yes. Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.
Have you planned more meetings closer to your organization’s headquarters (“drive-to” meetings) recently?
Yes. In Silicon Valley we get 300 drive-ins.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago?
More….meeting face-to-face will never be replaced.
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?
Costs will continue to climb along with increases in labor and oil.
