Study pinpoints pharmaceutical meeting market trends
The pharmaceutical meeting market has three key trends, according to a survey by Cutting Edge Information, Durham, N.C., a research and consulting organization specializing in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries:
(1) Planners expect budgets to remain stable or increase for 2008, and much of that spending will be outsourced.
(2) Companies are applying stricter policies due to the regulatory environment.
(3) Companies have overwhelmingly shifted to a centralized meeting planning structure.
“Almost all companies polled, 96%, have meeting planning departments, with 82% of them utilizing a centralized meeting planning structure,†the study found.
Procurement’s increased involvement in meetings, as well as the critical need for compliance with regulations, are two main reasons for the shift to the centralized structure, said Elio Evangelista, research team leader at Cutting Edge Information.
While the majority of meetings departments report to marketing, the landscape is shifting as meetings departments also report to other parts of the company.
Along with the shift to centralization, there is a move to outsourcing, with 91% of all companies surveyed outsourcing at least some aspect of meeting planning.
The study was done in collaboration with Medical Meetings magazine and the Center for Business Intelligence.
Report 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 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025