Close to one-third of respondents (30 percent) indicated that their organization’s total annual 2009 budget was $10 million or more (up from 24 percent last year), and 42 percent reported that it was $5 million or more.
$250,000 TO $499,999
TO $999,999 4% 10%
$1 MILLION TO $2.49 MILLION
10% 14% 12%
$2.5 MILLION TO $4.99 MILLION
$10 MILLION TO $15 MILLION
$5 MILLION TO $9.99 MILLION
Average: $6.88 million compared to $5.97 million in 2008
Operating Ratios TO $9.9 MILLION
Average: $3.6 million compared to $3 million in 2008
$5 MILLION 7%
NO ANSWER 14%
$10 MILLION OR MORE
MORE THAN $15 MILLION
22% 8% 15%
LESS THAN $1 MILLION
40%
TO $4.9 MILLION 31%
$1 MILLION 12% $500,000
LESS THAN $250,000
Economic Value to Host Destination
Forty percent of respondents (compared to 49 percent last year) report that the economic value of their largest meeting in 2009 to the host destination was less than $1 million, while more than one- quarter (27 percent compared to 20 percent last year) report the value at $5 million or more.
NO ANSWER 2%
continued from page 39
expected a decrease. Last year,31 percent expected to see attendance go down at their 2009 meeting. More space: On average, respondents’ largest exposi- tion covered approximately 104,978 net square feet, up from 90,800 net square feet last year. Economic value: Respondents estimated that their largest meeting had an economic benefit of $3.6 million to the host destination, compared to $3 million in 2008.
Bad News Attendancedownin 2009:Almost one-half of respon- dents said attendance at their largest 2009 meeting decreased, compared to 2008. Only 16 percent reported an increase in attendance (compared to 39 percent in the prior year). Room pickup: In last year’s survey, 54 percent of respondents reported that at least 90 percent of the room block for their largest meeting was picked up by their organization; only 34 percent could say the same in 2009. Number of exhibitors: 42 percent of respondents
40 pcma convene March 2010
reported that the number of exhibitors at their largest 2009 show decreased by nearly 5 percent compared to 2008, when the number of exhibitors grew 1.3 percent. Smallmeetings:Respondents held an average of approx- imately 37 small (250-attendee or fewer) meetings in 2009, compared to an average of 42 small meetings in 2008. Trimming expenses: Respondents said that they’ve been asked to cut a variety of expenses for their 2010 meetings, the most frequent ones being food-and-bev- erage (45 percent), rooms/housing (29 percent), and/or audiovisual (27 percent). Canceled meetings: More than one-third (38 percent compared to last year’s 27 percent) canceled one ormore meetings in 2009. International attendance: Only 6 percent (down from last year’s 18 percent) reported that the number of inter- national attendees at their largest 2009 meeting increased, while 68 percent reported no change. Eleven percent expected that number to grow this year.
—Michelle Russell is editor in chief of Convene. www.pcma.org