Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of respondents reported that more than 10 percent of the registered attendees at their largest event in 2009 were interna- tional (down from 31 percent in 2008).
MORE THAN 25 NO ANSWER 7% 10%
FEWER THAN 2 46%
2 TO 5 15%
6% 7%
6 TO 10 9%
11 TO 15 16 TO 25
“As planners, the industry is much better for us because the economy has caused room rates to drop, so we are in a better position to negotiate.We currently get more for less.”
International
“I expect it to get slightly worse over the next year. Until confidence is restored in the economy and attendance returns to pre-recession levels for our smaller meetings, I believe we’ll continue to hesitate to book as many meetings.”
“The industry has been changed forever, and we will not go back to ‘business as usual.’ We are creating a new business as usual. Those who understand this and reinvent their approach will do well; those that remain with what was, will not.”
International
A majority of association professional and independent planner respondents (51 percent) reported that fewer than 5 percent of their members or clients are based outside of the United States. More than one-half (51 percent) of corporate meeting professionals said that their company has office(s) and/or staff located outside of the United States.