Characteristics of theSample

Each year, meeting planners who are members of PCMA receive an extensive survey that requests proprietary information and budget projections for their organizations. For the sixth year in a row, respondents received and answered the survey online; for the fourth year in a row, the survey invitation was sent to an addi- tional group of Convene meeting planner subscribers. After answering an initial question on their professional role, respondents followed one of three survey routes:

one for association meeting professionals and executives, another for independent meeting professionals, and a third for corporate meeting professionals. While each response path had several unique questions, many ques- tions addressed the same area but were worded different- ly to reflect the respondent’s particular role in the meet- ings industry. The data that follows was compiled from 421 usable responses that were submitted. More than one-half (57 percent) of respondents are PCMA members.

Current Role

Forty-five percent of respondents identified themselves as an association meeting professional and 14 percent as an association executive, similar to last year’s survey.

OTHER 1% 14%

ASSOCIATION 45%

NO ANSWER

INDEPENDENT 20%

CORPORATE 20%

PROFESSIONAL 35%

OR HEALTH CARE 26%

MEDICAL

TRADE 24%

OTHER 1%

4% SMERF

(SOCIAL, MILITARY, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, FRATERNAL)

11%

ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE

Type of Association

Respondents who worked for associations were more likely to be employed at a professional (35 percent), trade (24 percent), or medical/health-care (26 percent) association. Eleven percent worked for SMERF organizations. Last year, the medical/heath-care segment represented only 15 percent of the association total and the SMERF respondents represented 23 percent.

Followthis key (color icon is in the upper-right corner

of each chart) to identify the category of response.

Association Professionals

Independent Meeting Professionals

Corporate Professionals

Operating Ratios Expositions

Small Meetings International

www.pcma.org

pcmaconvene March 2010

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