Destination Community
Planning Meetings in a Down Economy
Our economy has seen better days. An unpredictable business climate is now evident, even without turning on the evening news for the latest statistics. But, instead of bunkering down and waiting for the storm to pass, ConventionSouth recently released an article called “Economic Maneuvers” which lays out the best course of action to take in times like these: Tighten up and plan smarter.
ConventionSouth wanted to delve deeper into what meeting planners were forecasting for 2009, so they surveyed a broad sampling of meeting professionals from across the country. And, even with the decline in progress when this survey was taken, “52% of respondents said they expect the meetings industry to hold steady in 2009.”
So does that mean there is a bright side to all of this? It depends on how you go about it. By tightening up and planning smarter, there are several options that can help maintain business in 2009. The report found that concerns associated with planning are still basically the same; they’ve just been rearranged on the list. For example, in 2007 cutting room costs was fifth on the list of importance for meeting planners, and now it’s number three.
Right now, it’s a matter of alternatives. Instead of first-tier destinations, many are looking at second- and third-tier locations. Instead of traveling for meetings, many are thinking local and regional. Instead of relying on the same old resources, many are looking to CVBs and destination marketing organizations to make planning easier. Strong relationships are also a necessity, regardless of whether they’re existing or developing.
Although there are many negative points in the article, Julianne Talley, a conference director for the Florida Credit Union League, brings up an interesting point, along with a more positive outlook which pretty much sums it all up: “Yes, the economy is challenging right now, but we have control over our attitudes and our actions…Pulling together, looking at new and innovative ways to save money, and communicating well with each other is key in this environment.”
To read the article in its entirety, visit http://www.conventionsouth.com/custom/File/08_CS_full_trends_report.pdf
