Assessing Toll of 9:11 On Incentive Travel

Meetings & Conventions: Incentive News

Assessing Toll of 9/11 On Incentive Travel

More than half (58 percent) of group incentive programs were affected by the events of Sept. 11, according to a poll of planners conducted by the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives.

Forty-four percent of respondents said their programs were postponed until a fixed future date; 31 percent said programs were outright canceled.

A majority of respondents rated the way suppliers handled cancellation fees as “satisfactory” or “excellent.”

The main reason for cancellations was fear of traveling, cited by 65 percent; economic cutbacks were a factor for 54 percent of planners who canceled.

Most respondents predicted business will return to normal by the middle of this year. Eighty-three percent expect domestic destinations will be more appealing to incentive participants in the near future.

The study was e-mailed to 496 planner members of SITE in mid-November and drew 96 responses.

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