Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has published its Meetings Outlook, 2014 Summer Edition. The newest installment of the quarterly special report shows that overall, meetings are expected to grow, with virtual meetings predicted to develop at twice the rate of face-to-face meetings, despite budgets not keeping pace to account for this.
Key findings include the following:
- Virtual meeting attendance is anticipated to grow by 3.9 percent, almost twice the rate of live attendance (2 percent), over the next year.
- 52 percent of U.S. respondents and 59 percent of European respondents have a favorable budget outlook, expecting, on average, an increase of 2.1 percent.
- In an effort to do more with less, 22 percent of respondents are compressing meetings into less time, 13 percent are increasing the use of technology and another 13 percent are holding more local/regional meetings to reduce travel.
To view the full report, click here…
A printed copy is included in the August 2014 issue of MPI’s magazine, The Meeting Professional, as well.
Meetings Outlook presents future industry trends and predictions from MPI members, including those 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 global meeting and event industry association. The organization provides education, networking opportunities and business exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion and growth of the industry. MPI membership is comprised of approximately 18,500 members belonging to 70 chapters and clubs worldwide.
