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Meetings/Conventions Trends for 2005-2006

The surge in meetings business throughout the country, along with quicker management approval for meeting budgets, has predictably prompted planners to book small meetings further in advance than last year and the year before. A six-month lead time is now common. (MeetingNews, December 13, 2004)
Groups in the insurance and financial services fields are holding more meetings at resorts for senior executives, top sales people and valued customers. Across the industry segments, boutique hotels have gained renewed favor among planners of small meetings. (MeetingNews, December 13, 2004)
Planners are shortening the typical length of their meetings by squeezing in more meeting sessions per day at the expense of entertainment. Association and corporate planners are the leaders in this category. (Meetings South, January 2005)
Associations are incorporating more spousal program outings when compare to 2004. Corporate, on the other hand, are decreasing their spousal programs. (Meetings South, January 2005)
Association activities include using attractions and theme parks (up 13.2% over 2003 survey) and spa activities (up 12.1%); corporate planner use of spas has decreased 9.4% in the same time frame. (Meetings South, January 2005)
90% of all meeting planner respondents say they will either hold the same amount or more meetings in 2005; 34% expect their number of meetings to increase up to 10% in 2005. (Meetings South, January 2005)
Growth in communication techniques is leading to an increased demand for face-to-face meetings. With the general deterioration of social skills in society, more meetings focusing on relationship building skills need to be developed. (Meetings South, January 2005)
In the social and health services arena, the hot markets include medical and insurance; holistic medicine is a rising star, however. (Meetings South, January 2005)
In the last 2 years, the number of meetings held in all categories increased by margins ranging from nearly 30% to more than 183%. Two years ago, meeting planners reported that they planned an average of 0.6 incentive trips annually. In 2004, planners reported an average of 1.7 incentives held. Training and education meetings are also up by 55%. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
The emergence of niche lobby groups such as gays and lesbians are having a positive economic impact on cities and countries. As their needs are identified and communicated, additional meetings and events will continue to be developed and held in cities where they are heard and respected. (Meetings South, January 2005)
There is an increase in environmental meetings and special events, especially in the area of recycling. In the meetings industry, there is a growing awareness of Green Meetings standards. (Meetings South, January 2005)
Rest and relaxation: There is an emerging need for events dealing with the inner self, such as retreats, spiritual centers and holistic medicine. (Meetings South, January 2005)
With the exception of training and education meetings, the average number of attendees has decreased significantly over the last 2 years in every category of meetings. Even though incentives are being planned overall, the criteria for qualification on those trips have clearly become far more stringent, thus decreasing size of attendees. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
For the training and education meetings, planners report the number of attendees to those meetings increased by nearly 25% over the last 2 years. As new products are introduced, sales-forces and customers must be trained. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
The medical industry seems to be the healthiest in terms of meetings, while manufacturing seems the weakest. In 2004, medical and health care planners held the most corporate conventions (14.8) while manufacturing held the fewest (6.3). (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Nearly 30% of planners expect to see an increase in the number of management meetings. Only 7% expect any decreases for 2005. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Organizations are becoming aware of the importance of meetings and meeting planners. Planners are being asked to think strategically about meetings and to generate quantifiable efficiencies through the planning process. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Almost 40% of respondents to the 2004 State of the Industry survey were required to show return on investment for their meetings, up significantly from 25% in 2000 and 32% in 2002. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Scrutiny of meetings is different at each organization as are the new guidelines for pharmaceutical companies. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Corporate planners are likely to collaborate with procurement or travel management executives. This doesn’t change the role of the meetings managers. The collaboration just gives planners more guidance on how to approach meeting planning and link it to the best interests of the company. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Planners have become more focused on factors affecting the overall meeting experience, the productivity of the attendee, and – in the case of incentives and association conferences – the marketability of the event. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
As for amenities, planners are not swayed so much by the softer stuff like spas services and spouse programs. Rather, they rated business-related services highest, with Internet access in guest rooms and meeting rooms second and third. Most planners said having high-speed Internet connectivity was a must-have. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
Nearly 10% of management meetings and sales get-togethers are planned in under 3 weeks and nearly 35% of corporate planners think lead times will shorten in 2005. (SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS, January 2005)
A third of respondents (1/3 of 184) are designing incentives to deal with targeted goals such as growing product awareness or increasing sales or a particular product; that only one in four respondents is using outsource partners such as incentive houses and independent planners to help with incentive travel logistics. (MeetingsNet, February 1, 2005)
81% of respondents gear their incentive programs to salespeople, and about 35% ran dealer/distributor programs. (MeetingsNet, February 1, 2005)
Number of Insurance Conference Planner Association members that budget a room rate of $200 or more for an incentive program: 85% (MeetingsNet, February 1, 2005)