With the economy decidedly unstable, both meeting planners and suppliers—and everyone else, really—have entered nail-biting time.
Buyers’ market? Sellers’ market? No market at all? Let’s hope we’re all back to our business soon.
Firmly under the umbrella of the general economic malaise is the shaky state of the airline industry, which directly affects both planners and the destinations in which they hold meetings. The West in particular has been hard hit by airlines cutting routes, with destinations such as Hawaii feeling an acute pinch due to the demise of two major carriers serving that market.
And if the falling frequencies aren’t enough to make your life miserable, rising fares will most certainly raise your blood pressure.
Senior Editor Maria Lenhart examines the unfriendly skies in her “No-Fly Zones” story. Of particular interest is a sidebar that details just how many air seats have been taken out of service in major Western destinations during the last year.
On the bright side, recent experience has given the meetings industry a tool for dealing with the current state of affairs, so buckle yourself in for what may be a long flight.
