12 Mar 10 And the Survey Says…
Did you know that 90% of meeting planners polled state that their budgets are smaller due to the over-all economic slump? What’s more, over one third of planners predict they will book fewer meetings due to public opinion. In 2009, the PCMA/AMEX/Ypartnership sent surveys to professional meeting planners in order to gauge the effect of economic conditions and media feedback on meeting planning in 2010. The survey covered a number of topics including:
• How many meetings were hosted in 2009? How many are planned for 2010?
• Geographically speaking, where are meetings held?
• How much impact does the economic downturn have on meetings planned for the future?
• Does the media have an impact on how and if meetings are scheduled?
The outcome of this survey will not surprise most meeting planners. The economic crunch has and will continue to affect the number and type of meetings scheduled for the upcoming year. Negative media attention is a factor in the decrease of meetings. Bad press has the biggest negative impact on the largest meetings. Luxury and upscale accommodations are things of the past, at least for the moment.
Meeting planners as a group must point out that face to face meetings are an important part of industry interaction and curtailing these activities has a negative effect on companies. Reinstating corporate and government meeting can have a positive impact on U.S. economy and on personnel morale.
Tags: Amex, Budgets, Economic Conditions, Economic Crunch, Economic Downturn, Economic Slump, Economy, Face Meetings, Face To Face, Industry Interaction, Many Meetings, Media Attention, Media Feedback, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Negative Impact, Pcma, Public Opinion, State Budgets, Upscale Accommodations, Ypartnership
05 Oct 09 Meetings at Sea
It’s no secret that business meetings are often a combination of business and pleasure. People are working harder than ever to keep companies solvent. Rewarding employees is a bit more complicated; they deserve a nice trip to an exotic location yet it’s important to keep up appearances to the public. Try combining events, the reward trip with a conference. A corporate cruise can fill both those needs.
Sea travel is a great way to build team spirit while traveling to an exotic location. A cruise makes an ideal place for a business meeting – after all, how far can your people wander off? Food is available almost 24/7 and there are numerous activities to break up the intensity of the conference. It’s also private and while there is much to do, there is great opportunity to focus solely on the matter at hand.
In addition, when you come into your port of destination, that’s when the fun begins. Everyone feels a sense of accomplishment by completing the demands of the conference and they are ready to cut loose and have a bit of fun. The company saves money because the mode of travel has absorbed part of the conference costs, including food and lodging.
Seasite.com, the first online cruise portal dedicated solely to serving the cruise meetings market. And the timing couldn’t be better because cruising slashes 25-40% off the cost of a land-based meeting or incentive trip, helping event planners adapt to today’s shrinking budgets. The single, most comprehensive source for savvy, do-it-yourself planners and novices alike, Seasite delivers all the tools, ideas and resources needed to launch a successful incentive cruise event or meeting-at-sea.
Tags: Accomplishment, Bit Of Fun, Budgets, Business And Pleasure, Business Meeting, Business Meetings, Corporate Cruise, Cruise Portal, Event Planners, Incentive Cruise, Incentive Trip, Intensity, Meeting At Sea, Mode Of Travel, Nice Trip, Rewarding Employees, Sea Travel, Seasite, Slashes, Team Spirit
14 May 09 Event Planning for the Recession: Banquetology
Ten years ago a company holding a big business event was expected to lay out a lavish feast for all those in attendance and their spouses. Businesses often spent tens of thousands of dollars on spreads that sometimes produced almost as much waste as it did fulfillment. Well, the recent crippling of the world’s economy has made these affairs a relic of the past.
With company event planners now wondering how they will feed attendees at their next function, enter Banquetology, the brainchild of the Crowne Plaza Melbourne Oceanfront Resort. Banquetology is a way of presenting meals in small portions with greater variety to satisfy guests, their diets, and the company’s financial limits–in other words, everyone’s bottom line. (more…)
Tags: Attendees, Brainchild, Budgets, Business Event, Calorie Meal, Calories, Chefs, Crowne Plaza, Dieticians, Diets, Event Planners, Event Planning, Feast, Girths, Psychological Aspect, Pushcarts, Recession, Relic, Sponsoring Company, Thousands Of Dollars
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