BALTIMORE
The IBTM global meetings industry research presented its first report on the Americas at AIBTM in Baltimore last week with the highlights concluding that while the majority of US business tends to stay in the US—albeit widespread throughout different states—over 40 percent of survey respondents organized events in Europe, 22 percent in Asia and the remainder of planner respondents took business to the regions of MENA, the Gulf, Africa and Australasia.
Some 327 respondents in the Americas organized over 6,660 events from conferences to exhibitions, incentive, business travel and product launches. The most popular destinations in Europe included Spain, Italy, Germany, UK while in the Americas preferred destinations included the US, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
Over half of respondents indicated that the volume of events is predicted to grow over the next 12 months and budgets remain under pressure as planners are expected to do more for less. The use of new technologies, the rapid growth of social media, apps, QR codes and hybrid meetings are all seen as the major forms of communications and marketing as budgets have to be stretched. The use of social media to communicate before, during and after a meeting was highlighted by over 82 percent of respondents.
The key issues that will have the most impact on increasing meetings and events business in the future included economic conditions, for budgets to improve, rates, prices and cost issues, introduction of new destinations (in terms of their value), political and government issues.
