Planners and suppliers
from more than 46 countries, including the United States, are split
on how they think the economy will affect the meetings sector,
according to a poll conducted by the organizers of IMEX, the
international industry trade show held annually in Frankfurt,
Germany. Forty-eight percent of those polled were optimistic, while
52 percent thought the current climate would have a negative effect
on the marketplace.
The e-mail survey of 515 respondents,
including corporate buyers, third-party planners, association
leaders, suppliers and other industry professionals, was conducted
after the 2008 show, which was held April 21-23. Among the other
findings:
* When asked specifically about
incentive programs, 59 percent of those polled said difficult
economic circumstances actually could spur the creation of more
programs.
* Respondents report sustained demand
for meetings and incentives in Brazil, China, India and Russia,
where globalization continues to build momentum.
In an IMEX survey conducted in the
first quarter of 2008, respondents predicted modest business growth
over the next 12 months.