1. FutureWatch
Executive Summary
Sponsored by:
For the full FutureWatch2011 report, visit the
research section of the MPI Content Portal at
www.mpiweb.org/Portal/Research/FutureWatch.
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2. Technology. Strategy. Relationships. yesterday’s events. Instead, meeting pro-
fessionals will find that in presenting the
value of their events to company leaders,
We listened. You say that the meeting industry will board trustees and stockholders, they
better understand their own roles within
see unparalleled change in the coming year, that organizations and better prepare for the
future of meetings and events.
technology will bolster communication, that ROI and
strategic meetings management will be vital to your Optimism is high among senior
industry professionals, according
business success, that new and existing connections to the IMEX Global Insights Report,
which surveys a standing panel of
with your peers will lead to smarter events. This is 45 senior industry professionals.
The report’s results point to a rise
FutureWatch 2011, and these are your stories. in events and budgets in 2011.
Green initiatives remain on the
The global financial crisis forced many an industry that has long pushed back agenda, as do developments in
industry practitioners to accept what against what was viewed once as a direct virtual meetings.
a handful of their peers already had— threat to in-person events. Meeting
that meetings must meet the strate- professionals maintain that face-to-face
Here’s a peek at some of the
gic imperatives of their organizations meetings are far better equipped to
results:
and provide detailed proof of ROI. forming lasting relationships, business
The failing economy caused meet- partnerships and revolutionary ideas, of respondents say the
ing suppliers and planners to collabo-
rate in new and different ways, creating
but acknowledge the sufficiency of on-
line meetings, especially in some sectors
58 % number of meetings
will increase this year,
stronger intra-industry relationships that such as education. while 37 percent say it
will last for years to come. And as bud- FutureWatch 2011 results show that
will stay the same, and
gets became more and more tight, many the tides of the meeting industry have
only 5 percent say it will
meetings moved to cyber space—a trend shifted, and there will be no return to
that will continue through 2011. decrease
Technology, it seems, has
finally gone mainstream in Meetings Strike Back expect a significant
18 % increase in budget this
year, 39 percent foresee
a slight increase and
Year-to-Year Trend in Projected Meeting Statistics 24 percent sense that
budgets will remain the
Projected
Change same
25%
say demonstrating ROI
20%
25 % from meetings, events
and incentives in de-
15%
tail—and in a way that
10% management fully under-
stands—is either their
5%
most or their second
0%
most important priority
-5% say they are fully com-
-10% 42 % mitted to CSR and 26
percent say they are
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
currently developing
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CSR policies
Overall Attendance 12% 23% 19% - 4% 5% 2%
Planner Budgets 14% 19% 11% -9% -3% 2%
Spend Per Meeting 7% 6% 23% 2% -1% 5%
Number of Meetings 7% 12% -1% -9% 3% 8%
Length of Meeting 6% 2% 0% -3% 0% 0%
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3. This is your 7% Coordinators
Respondents by Position
FutureWatch.
We surveyed 459 of your industry peers
(including members from 67 MPI chap-
22% Senior Managers
ters in 20 countries) and asked about
their meetings for the coming year. We 26% Executives
interviewed them on the phone and
asked about upcoming challenges. We
reached across borders and oceans and 9% Sales
asked where the global meeting and
business event industry was heading.
Here’s who answered.
6% Other
BY THE 30% Managers
NUMBERS Respondents by Region
Planners
Number of meetings 8%
being planned by Europe
2010: 182.2 11%
organizations 2011: 196.1 Canada
11%
USA
Number of meetings 3% 76% Asia
.5%
being planned by
2010: 48.7
respondents 2011: 50.4 Central America
.7% Africa
.5%
Number of delegates 2% Australia
.25%
per meeting 2010: 543.4
2011: 555.1
Average spend per 5%
meeting 2010: $188K
2011: $197K
Where Meetings and Events are Traveling To
Number of locations 6%
evaluated per meeting 2010: 5.8
2011: 6.1
Average net revenue
from all meetings by
4%
2010: $1.8M Canada
organization 2011: $1.9M
Europe
U.S.
Suppliers
Number of meetings 11%
overall to be served
2010: 467.9
by organization 2011: 520.0
Number of meetings 11%
overall to be served
2010: 128.2
by respondent 2011: 142.2 Destination
U.S. Canada Europe C. America S. America Asia Other
Number of proposals
being prepared by
14% From Canada to 11% 82% 5% 2% 1% 0% 1%
respondent 2010: 195.2 From Europe to 10% 2% 82% 1% 1% 3% 4%
2011: 223.5
From U.S. to 87% 2% 6% 2% 1% 3% 3%
*All money in
US dollars
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