DALLAS
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has released the first edition of its new Meetings Outlook, a special quarterly report offering a unique perspective on the future of the meeting and event industry. It covers new trends as well innovations on the horizon and replaces the bi-monthly Business Barometer previously published by MPI.
In comparison to the former report, Meetings Outlook is published quarterly and surveys a larger audience to allow for more robust research. It is available for free for both MPI members and non-members, making it more accessible to the broader meeting and event community and beyond. Also, the new report’s survey questions focus on what is coming down the road, rather than presenting an assessment of the current business environment.
“MPI spent months conducting research, analyzing the results and designing the Meetings Outlook,” explains Christian Savelli, senior director of business intelligence at MPI. “This new report is more comprehensive and insightful, and we believe meeting and event professionals will find it to be a valuable resource for strategic business planning.”
The 2014 winter edition of the Meetings Outlook predicts increasing attention to meeting design, hybrid and virtual meetings, social media, tech innovations and the overall health of the meeting and event industry. Following is an excerpt from the report:
“In what appears to be a leading indicator of an economic recovery, U.S. and Canadian meeting professionals forecast a 5 percent improvement in overall business conditions in the coming year, according to the meeting professionals surveyed for this report. European meeting and event professionals expect to see a 4 percent improvement.”
MPI members will receive a printed copy of the Meetings Outlook in the mail each quarter in The Meeting Professional magazine. The 2014 winter edition was mailed with the February issue of the magazine, and a digital copy is also available online at www.mpiweb.org/meetingsoutlook.
More About Meetings Outlook and MPI
Meetings Outlook presents future industry trends and predictions from more than 5,000 MPI members, including 700 senior meeting professionals on MPI’s Business Research Panel. Every quarter, research firm Association Insights surveys the panel, asking a short series of quantitative questions related to the economy and a qualitative question regarding the individual’s professional outlook.
The survey provides a quarterly tracking of current business conditions and future outlooks. Meetings Outlook is developed in partnership with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, and is supported in partnership with the IMEX Group.
MPI is the largest and most vibrant global meeting and event industry association. The organization helps its members thrive by building human connections through knowledge and ideas, relationships, and marketplaces. MPI membership is comprised of approximately 20,000 members belonging to 71 chapters and clubs worldwide. For additional information or to join, visit www.mpiweb.org.
