Meetings Industry

PULSE Survey
NORTH AMERICAN REGION

N E W D ATA | M AY 2 0 2 4
 423 Planner Reponses
MAY 15 – 28, 2024

Govt.
Sports Average Size of Meetings in 2023
SMERF
2
2 3
> 5,000
Professional
Conference 1,001 to 5,000
Organizers,
501 to 1,000
3rd Party, Associations,
Independent Nonprofits 101 to 500
Planners
51 to 100
32%
32% 15 to 50

< 15
Corporate 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

28% % of Total Respondents

 Executive Summary: Growth and Cost Management are the Mandates
PLANNERS, THOUGH OPTIMISTIC, ARE TAKING A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO THEIR FUTURE CONTRACTS.

▪ Planner optimism continues to grow when it’s already very high, a positive indicator for future new
business. Only 14% of planners report they are less optimistic now than they were two months ago.
▪ The active business pipeline remains strong: 72% are either actively booking or sourcing currently, while
only 2% are not currently sourcing new in-person events.
▪ Booking timelines continue to normalize, with fewer near-term meetings (less than 6 months out) needing to
be placed. Most new business being sourced now is between 9 to 12 months out.
▪ Increased confidence in the strength of in-person events is buoyed by higher attendance expectations,
and that confidence is spurring increased meetings volume. Over 60% of planners report their
organizations will plan more meetings in 2024 than they did in 2023.
▪ Hotel and venue booking strategies reflect the need for flexibility and maximum cost savings. More than two-
thirds of planners report they are being cautious with their contracts.
▪ Most planners rank their supplier partners above average on all factors. The lowest graded factor may be the
most important though, as planners are least sanguine about overall value for money.
▪ Costs continue to be planners’ top concern. Event tech spend has not suffered to compensate. In fact,
42% report they have increased tech spend this year. But their use of new and more sophisticated
applications is minimal, indicating opportunity for event tech providers.
 Planner Optimism Remains High
NEARLY HALF ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THEY WERE TWO MONTHS AGO.

How has your outlook for your meetings and events changed over the past two months?

More Optimistic Less Optimistic No Change 55% 55%

48% 49%
47%
44% 44% 43%
42% 42% Planner
38%
35%
optimism is
34%
high and
% of Planners

30%
getting higher –
a leading
indicator of
17%
14% 15% 15% 15% more new
9%
11% business.

MAY '24 MARCH '24 JANUARY '24 NOV/DEC '23 SEPT/OCT '23 AUGUST '23 JUNE '23
 Planner Booking Activity Mirrors Optimism
BOOKING AND SOURCING ACTIVITY REMAINS CONSISTENTLY STRONG SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

What is your current primary focus as it pertains to your live, in-person events?

41%
38%

34%
35% 92% of planners are currently
33% 33% 33%
focused on new business. MAY '24

26% MARCH '24

JANUARY '24
% of Planners

21%
20% 20% JUNE '23
17%

10%
7% 7%
6% 6% 6%
4%
1%

BOOKING NEW EVENTS SOURCING ACTIVELY RESEARCHING RESCHEDULING/REBOOKING NOT SOURCING NEW LIVE EVENTS
 Sourcing Timelines Continue to Improve
MOST PLANNERS AND THEIR STAKEHOLDERS ARE CURRENTLY BOOKING EVENTS FURTHER OUT.

For current events you are now booking or actively sourcing, when is the expected
start day (months out)? (Please select all that apply.)

46%
45%
MAY '24 44%
43%
42% 42%
JANUARY '24
38%
JUNE '23 37% 37%
34%
33% 33%
32%
29%
28%
% of Planners

17%
16%
15%

10% 11%

5%

LESS THAN 1 MONTH OUT BETWEEN 1 - 3 MONTHS BETWEEN 4 - 6 MONTHS BETWEEN 7 - 9 MONTHS BETWEEN 9 - 12 MONTHS BETWEEN 13 - 24 MONTHS MORE THAN TWO YEARS
 Expect More Meetings This Year
2023 WAS A BANNER YEAR. MOST PLANNERS EXPECT TO PRODUCE MORE EVENTS IN 2024.

Will you or your organization produce more meetings this year

than you did last year?

66% MAY '24

61% JANUARY '24
58%
JANUARY '23 More planners
expecting to
% of Planners

produce more
42%
39% meetings this
34% year is another
positive indicator
of the momentum
for the meetings
industry.

YES NO
 Attendance Expectations Grow for In-Person Events
PLANNER SENTIMENT FOR MEETINGS: FOR THE MOST PART, IT’S “IF WE PRODUCE IT, THEY WILL COME.”

How many in-person attendees do you expect this year for your average
meetings versus your 2023 results?

72%
MAY '24 31%
68% MARCH '24 29%
28%
27%
JUNE '23 26%

53%
21%
47%
% of Planners

18%
17%
16%
32% 14%
13%
28% 12%
11%
9% 9%
7%
5% 5%

LESS THAN 90% GREATER THAN 90% FEWER THAN 50% BETWEEN 51 AND 75% BETWEEN 76 AND 90% BETWEEN 91 AND 100% BETWEEN 101 AND 110% MORE THAN 110%
 Booking Strategies Indicate Cost Management Imperative
OVER TWO-THIRDS OF PLANNERS REPORT THEY ARE BEING CAUTIOUS WITH THEIR VENUE CONTRACTS.

When dealing with hotels and venues, which of the following matches your
negotiating strategy? (Please select all that apply.)

CAUTIOUS (NEGOTIATING MINIMUM ATTENDANCE NECESSARY FOR BEST TERMS AT TIME OF

37%
CONTRACT)

SEEKING SMALLER BLOCKS THAN PREVIOUSLY, WITH THE EXPECTATION WE'LL NEGOTIATE FOR
32%
MORE IF REQUIRED

HAVEN'T CHANGED OUR ROOM-BLOCK APPROACH 23%

CONFIDENT (NEGOTIATING MAXIMUM ATTENDANCE NECESSARY FOR BEST TERMS AT TIME OF

22%
CONTRACT)

ADDING VARIABLE RATE CLAUSES TO ACCOUNT FOR LAST-MINUTE REGISTRATION PICK-UP 19%

SEEKING A LARGER BLOCK BUT WITH INCREASED ATTRITION FLEXIBILITY 15%

OTHER 3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

% of Planners
 Most Venues Are Responding to RFPs in Six Days Or Less
BUT OVER 60% OF PLANNERS WANT THEIR RFP RESPONSES IN FOUR DAYS OR LESS.

Generally, how quickly do you want hotels and How quickly are hotels and venues responding
venues to respond to your RFPs? to your RFPs?

1% % of Planners
LESS THAN 1 DAY CURRENT RFP RESPONSE TIME
3%
RFP RESPONSE TIME DESIRED
10%
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 DAYS
28%

30%
BETWEEN 3 AND 4 DAYS
31%

22%
BETWEEN 5 AND 6 DAYS
19% 22% of planners
report it’s taking
15%
BETWEEN 7 AND 8 DAYS more than 8 days to
19%
receive responses
22% to their RFPs.
MORE THAN 8 DAYS
6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

 As Business Continues to Boom, Concern for Costs Grows
LESSER CONCERNS REMAIN CONSISTENT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

For your future in-person events, how concerned are you about the following? Rate each on
a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being “not at all concerned” and 5 being “extremely concerned”).

4.36
HIGHER COSTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES
4.26
4.02
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS
4.02
3.65
AIRLINE PRICING
3.6
3.77
HOTEL/VENUE SERVICE LEVELS
3.77
3.62
HOTEL/VENUE AVAILABILITY
3.64
3.19
AIRLINE SERVICE LEVELS
3.19
2.87
CYBERSECURITY/DATA SECURITY
2.8
2.64
MAY
WEATHER-RELATED EVENTS/NATURAL DISASTERS
2.74
JANUARY
2.78
GEOPOLITICAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
2.8
2.62
DUTY OF CARE/EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING
2.66
2.84
BUSINESS LIABILITY
2.74
2
CONTAGION 2.32
 Venue Service Levels Aren’t Aligned With Their Related Costs
THOUGH GENERALLY SATISFIED, PLANNERS ARE INCLINED TO THINK THEY’RE PAYING MORE FOR LESS.

How satisfied are you with the service you are receiving from the hotels and venues you are now working with for your
meetings and events (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being "not at all satisfied", and 5 being "extremely satisfied")?

FACILITIES 3.88

ON-SITE EVENT PRODUCTION SUPPORT STAFF 3.8

SALES STAFF AND SALES SUPPORT 3.7

FOOD AND BEVERAGE 3.7

HEATH AND SAFETY 3.7

EVENT DESIGN 3.68

TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO/VISUAL SUPPORT 3.53

SUSTAINABILITY 3.39

OVERALL VALUE FOR THE MONEY 3.35

Event Tech Spend Demonstrates Resiliency in Challenging Times
ONLY ONE IN TEN PLANNERS REPORT THEY’VE REDUCED THEIR TECH SPEND THIS YEAR.

Have you increased your organization's spending on meetings/event tech and meetings/event tech
support (including registration, but not including AV or AV support) this year compared to last year?

3% Nearly as many
10% planners (42%)
report they have
increased spend on

% of Planners
NO, IT IS ABOUT THE SAME
45% event tech as do
YES, WE'VE INCREASED SPENDING
those who report
NO, WE REDUCED SPENDING
their event tech
NONE OF THE ABOVE
spending has
42%
stayed flat (44%).
Only 10% have
reduced spend.
 Are There Gap Opportunities for Event Tech Applications?
LESS THAN HALF OF ALL REGISTRATION USERS ARE ALSO EMPLOYING ENGAGEMENT AND DATA TOOLS.

Are you currently using the following event technology applications in support of your current
meetings and events? (Please check all that apply.)

REGISTRATION, TICKETING AND BADGING 60%

VENUE AND/OR HOTEL SOURCING 54%

MOBILE APP 54%

EVENT PRODUCTION AND AV TECHNOLOGY 43%

EVENT MARKETING AND PROMOTION 38%

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 33% Less than 1 in 4

NETWORKING AND ATTENDEE ENGAGEMENT 29%
planners are
VIRTUAL AND HYBRID PLATFORM 28%
currently using
generative AI tools
EVENT DATA AND ANALYTICS 27%
to support their
SPEAKER AND SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT 23%
meetings.
GENERATIVE AI TOOLS (CHATGPT, SPARK, GEMINI, COPILOT, CHATBOTS, ETC.) 23%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

% of Planners
 Planner Verbatim Comments
IT’S A SELLER’S MARKET: FRUSTRATIONS MOUNT WITH PRICING AND SERVICE LEVELS.

▪ “We’re finally back to prepandemic levels, which is great news for our industry.”

▪ “Between diminished service levels at some hotels, increased prices on everything with flat or reduced budgets, insane in-house AV
quotes and a changing workforce entering the industry, producing top-level meetings is becoming more challenging. The expectation
that we will up our game to attract attendees without being willing to invest is creating a level of stress for planners unlike anything I
have seen in my 25-plus years in the industry.”
▪ “The industry should embrace hybrid more. It’s cost effective, time efficient and kind to the planet. The right mix between in-person
events that you travel to, local meetings and hybrid meetings needs to be found.”

▪ “While hotels say they’re back up and staffed to pre-pandemic levels, it’s evident they’re still not able to deliver the service levels our
stakeholders expect.”

▪ “Food costs are literally eating our profits.”

▪ “We’re spending more due to increased costs just to maintain the quality of our programs, not to enhance them.”

▪ “It’s more difficult to negotiate attrition, cancellation and resell clauses. Hotels are pushing for nightly attrition versus cumulative. And
many hotels are holding back more inventory for independent travelers and turning group business away when they reach their
group threshold.”

▪ “I’m optimistic about meetings in general, but I think we need to consider the entire meetings experience, which includes the travel
component. Travel just seems to grow less and less enjoyable. I think that attendees are growing tired of traveling in general, and
they’ll be more and more particular about where they will travel to, and why.”