Barbara Moll, Administrative Assistant, Food Export Midwest, Chicago.
Do you find that your booking window (the time between starting the process of researching and booking a meeting and the actual event) is increasing or shrinking? Are you finding it harder to book rooms/meeting space in a short timeframe at hotels and other meeting facilities?
Increasing. Our meetings are small, and sometimes hotels do not want to commit to those types of meetings too far in advance. But we still looking pretty far out.
Is the duration of your meetings either shrinking or expanding? Why?
Staying the same.
Is the attendance at your meetings shrinking or expanding? Why?
Staying the same.
Did you have a smaller or larger budget to work with last year? If so, how much do you estimate it was decreased or increased?
Same budget for the past 3 years.
Do you expect your budget to increase or decrease in 2017?
Actually going to be increased a bit.
Do you expect your attendance to increase or decrease in 2017?
Stay about the same.
Are perception problems (meeting at luxurious properties, resort destinations, etc.) a great concern for your organization? Do you expect any perception problems in 2017?
We totally avoid “perception” problems. We use some government funding, so we stay with downtown properties.
Are you exploring the possibility, or have you already held, a “hybrid” meeting (meetings that combine live events with an Internet/digital component? If so, what are your observations?
No.
Are you finding that you are scheduling more meeting sessions per day, and if so, is it at the expense of entertainment or events that are more social in nature?
We cram a lot in a day and probably actually need a little more time for our meetings.
Are you incorporating more, or less, activities into your agenda? If so, what types of activities are being added or cut?
Same amount.
Have you offered, or do you think you will offer, a CSR (corporate social responsibility) component to your meetings?
No.
What are your thoughts on the use of drones at meetings? Have you considered this?
No.
Are you finding that attrition clauses are being enforced more or less strictly recently? Can you share any comments/observations about this?
More strictly.
How important is Internet bandwidth to your programs (i.e., Wi-Fi), and do you think hotels are being more or less flexible with their Internet bandwidth pricing? Any tips to share with your fellow planners to get free or discounted Wi-Fi for your meetings?
It is important and we get comp or low-cost Wi-Fi often.
Do you feel this is a buyer’s or seller’s market? Any observations on this to share?
Seller’s.
Do you find that you had less leverage on room rates during the last year? What are hotels and facilities telling you when you negotiate?
We qualify for government per diem rates and almost always get them.
Are you using social networking websites for business purposes? If so, which ones and why?
Our organization has a Facebook page.
Are you more optimistic, or less, about the meetings industry and the economy than a year ago? Why?
About the same.
How do you think 2017 will shape up for the meetings industry? Where do you see costs (hotel, restaurant, venue prices, etc.) going? Do you think your budget and/or attendance will increase or decrease? Why?
Our attendance should stay about the same as we have a “fixed” group of attendees. I think venue prices will hold.
