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To the Point By Deborah Sexton
Keeping Our Eye on the Ball
What does 2012 hold for lodging, travel, and exhibitions? Only Convene’s annual Meetings Industry Forecast can say.
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fter a lackluster 2010, you had to hope things would get better in 2011. And
in many ways, they did. Business travel was up about 5.5 percent, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Exhibition- industry performance grew 6.6 percent
in the first half of 2011 — compared to the first half of 2010 — according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). Transient hotel demand almost returned to the peak levels of 2007, although group seg- ment growth has been slower. But now that 2011 is drawing to a close,
it’s time to look to the future. And that’s what we do every November with Convene’s annual Meetings Industry Forecast. Starting on p. 45, you’ll find a wide array of statistics and some expert opinions about what next year may hold for lodging, travel, and exhibitions. My personal opinion is that 2012 will be
flat at best for meetings, based largely on the profound influence of the overall economy. These are tricky economic conditions, and I don’t believe we’ll see the quick overall re- bound that some are hoping for. Our economy is experiencing pressure from multiple angles, and the fact that next year is a presidential elec- tion year may cause even more uncertainty. One of the most interesting trends in this
year’s report is that organizations seem to be demonstrating renewed concern for their employees. They are, it appears, beginning to loosen their singular focus on cost-contain- ment. We’re seeing the return of small incentive trips, and more organizations are paying atten- tion to employee satisfaction while they are on the road for work.
8 pcma convene November 2011 This is certainly an important move in the
right direction. After several years of economic decline and uncertainty, many organizations are indeed close to burning out their top per- formers. We in the meetings industry — and all other industries — need to keep in mind how critical it is to help our employees stay ener- gized and to provide environments in which they can do their best work. Another bright spot in the forecast is the
growth of international travelers to the United States. The U.S. Travel Association predicts travel from abroad will increase by close to 9 percent next year. In fact, spending by foreign visitors is expected to represent about 30 percent of anticipated growth in travel expen- ditures. We still have a ways to go in mak- ing travel to the United States easier for our international guests, but this is an extremely positive sign. No matter what growth we experienced
last year, or what some predict for 2012, I firmly believe that we can’t take our eye off the ball. We need to continue to promote the value of face-to-face meetings. Everyone from congressional leaders (case in point: the recent $16 muffin controversy; see p. 13) to potential meeting attendees must be familiar with the economic, business, professional, and personal benefits of convening in a face-to-face setting. This should not be an item on our to-do lists only in periods of decline; it must be an ongoing initiative. What are your predictions or trends to
watch for 2012? Let me know what you think at deborah.sexton@pcma.org. n
COMING ATTRACTIONS: This month, we also look to the future with a 2012 Conven- ing Leaders preview. Turn to p. 75 for three one-on-one interviews with top thinkers who will deliver TEDTalk-style presentations at our annual meeting in San Diego: molecular biologist John Me- dina, game designer Jane McGonigal, and brand-innovation consultant Sally Hogshead. These are fascinating individuals whose interviews stand on their own — but we hope that reading them will whet your appetite to see them speak in person at our annual meeting. Visit www.Convening Leaders.org to check out this year’s excit- ing line-up of educa- tion and networking opportunities.
Deborah Sexton President and CEO deborah.sexton@pcma.org
DEBORAH SEXTON PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL ABRAMSON