Company releases top meeting trends for 2012
Luxury travel is back, and meeting demand is the strongest it’s been since 2008, says Benchmark Hospitality International after polling its 35 hotels, resorts and conference centers in the US.
They were among the “Top Ten Meeting Trends for 2012,” the company says.
“The trend is up for all industry segments from telecommunications, education and insurance to healthcare, energy and beyond,” the company says. Bookings remain short-term but sales are becoming far more limited.
Other top trends:
—Meeting size is trending up. Properties are “electing to fill their properties with larger meetings at a higher rate,” the report said. No vacancy signs are again being posted.
—Meeting space is also getting more creative with properties offering outdoor venues and meetings around bonfires and other creative alternatives.
—Technology has created a growing use of smart phones, iPads and mobile sites that start immediately with the registration process.
—Meeting packages are coming back strongly and planners are expecting price increases this year. “They are still looking for the best value, but pricing push-back is on the wane,” the report says
—“Increasingly, the meeting destination is as important as the meeting venue,” the report says.
—Socially responsible meetings are more popular than ever, ranging from support for Habitat for Humanity to help with a local soup kitchen.
By David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026