Amidst
mass-media reports portraying meetings as lavish, superfluous
expenditures, events are being canceled. And the trend isn't limited to
companies receiving federal bailout funds, according to the results of
an M&C survey conducted from Feb. 23-25, 2009.
While only
9 percent of 135 respondents work with or for companies receiving
federal bailout money, more than one-fifth (21 percent) report their
companies have canceled events as a direct result of the public
backlash. An additional 15 percent say there have been cancellations,
but it was unclear whether concerns about perception motivated them.
More than half (52 percent) claim the backlash has been extremely or
moderately influential on their companies' decisions to hold events.
About
a quarter (24 percent) of respondents said their companies are
developing new meeting policies to demonstrate good faith and
intelligent spending. Forty-one percent have changed scheduled meeting
locations, and 24 percent have canceled incentive trips. Luxury or
upscale hotels (38 percent) and cruises (30 percent) top the list of
venues companies are avoiding.
Following are complete survey results:
Do you work with or for a company that has received or is in line to receive federal bailout funds?
Yes 9%
No 91%
Is your company adopting new meeting policies due to the new federal guidelines?
Yes, to meet federal requirements
| 7% |
Yes, to follow industry recommendations
| 8%
|
Yes, to demonstrate good faith and intelligent spending
| 24%
|
No, we already have strict guidelines in place
| 33%
|
No, but we're looking into it
| 11%
|
No, we're not planning on it
| 32%
|
How much of an effect would you say the mass-media backlash against meetings has on your company's decisions to hold events?
| Extremely influential in our decisions | 22% |
Moderately influential
| 30% |
| Not very influential | 16%
|
No effect
| 28% |
Don't know
| 4% |
Has your company canceled any events as a direct result of the bailout backlash against meetings and travel?
| Yes | 21% |
No
| 64% |
Not sure what motivated cancellations
| 15% |
Has your company changed any scheduled meeting or event destinations to appear more economical?
Yes, we have changed cities
| 16% |
| Yes, we have changed venues within the same city | 5% |
| Both of the above | 20% |
| No | 59%
|
Has you company canceled scheduled incentive trips this year?
Yes
| 24% |
No
| 17% |
We don't plan incentives
| 59% |
What destinations or venues has your company decided to avoid?
Luxury or upscale hotels
| 38% |
Cruises
| 30% |
Golf resorts
| 28% |
Beach resorts
| 24% |
Specific cities
| 12% |
None of the above
| 19% |
No destination/venue is taboo
| 27% |
Other
| 6% |
Source: Meetings & Conventions magazine, Copyright 2009
For more information contact: Lori Cioffi, Editor in Chief, M&C, [email protected]
To
reprint this material, please include: "Reprinted from Meetings &
Conventions magazine, a publication of Northstar Travel Media LLC,
Copyright 2009."