convene’s 21st annual meetings market survey

ATTENDANCE

Close to one-half (44 percent) of respondents indicated that the attendance at their largest convention/meeting/exposition in 2011 was fewer than 1,000, and 57 percent held a meeting attended by 1,000 or more attendees.

FEWER THAN 500

26%

OR MORE 3%

25,000

10,000 TO 24,999

9%

2011 ATTENDANCE VS. 2010 ATTENDANCE

More than one-third of respondents (38 percent) reported that attendance at their largest 2011 meeting increased compared to 2010. In last year’s survey, 42 percent reported an increase in attendance at their 2010 event compared to 2009. Twenty-one percent reported a decrease in attendance at their 2011 event compared to 2010—the same decrease they reported in their 2010 event compared to 2009.

INCREASED 38%

Average: 4,164 compared to 4,409 in 2010 survey.

500 TO 999

18%

TO 2,499 22%

Expositions 1,000

TO 4,999 12%

REMAINED THE SAME 41%

Expositions 2,500

5,000 TO

9,999 11%

Average: +1.9 compared to +3.6 percent in last year’s survey

DECREASED 21%

What changes have you made to your meetings over the past year in response to the economy?

“1) Staying east of the Mississippi (closer to core members); 2) Stepping down a notch in hotel caliber; 3) Offering live (or delayed) feed of speakers for members who can’t afford to attend.”

“Added more and more online offerings.”

“We are locating in states which are sales-tax free, and for our largest meetings, locate in larger cities where lift is best.We alsoare investigating virtual meetings.”

56 pcma convene March 2012 www.pcma.org