Why Meeting Planners Attend Industry Events

Meetings industry conferences and trade shows are extremely or somewhat important to 90 percent of respondents to a recent M&C Research survey. Of the 116 polled, just 4 percent said such events are not at all important to them professionally. Thirty-eight percent of planners expect to attend more industry events this year than last, and another 52 percent will attend the same number. Among primary reasons for going, educational sessions were the top driver, cited by 83 percent of respondents. Also important to the majority of planners: meeting new peers (54 percent), learning about new destinations, venues and services (51 percent), and making new supplier contacts (46 percent)

15% of the survey sample will attend ASAE (Aug. 6-9 in St. Louis), and 14 percent will go to MPI (July 23-26 in Orlando), the two highest-cited shows on planners' calendars.

47% don't plan to attend either of the new major shows (AIBTM and IMEX America) entering the marketplace this year; 38 percent don't know yet whether they'll go to these events.

4% say meetings industry conferences and trade shows are not at all important to their jobs.