Meeting News - February 15, 2010 - (Page 2)

News Grass Roots: One-Third To Hold More Meetings In 2010 By Amon Cohen Some European buyers expect to book more meetings and almost all have less to spend per event in 2010, according to the Meetings Industry Report, a survey of 100 customers published this month by meetings and communications agency Grass Roots. The report revealed that 27 percent expect to stage fewer meet2010 day delegate rates in most major European cities to be flat to as much as 6 percent lower than 2009 levels, according to the report, but predicts increases at four-star hotels of 2.9 percent in Milan and 3.5 percent in Nice. In the five-star category, the only cities tipped for rate increases are Paris at 4.1 percent, Rome at 5 percent and Berlin at 5.1 percent. Grass Roots sees the biggest rate falls in Budapest and Madrid, both down 6.1 percent. “We predict rates will remain quite static,” said Robert Bottomley, the U.K.-based conference director for Grass Roots. “However, by the third quarter and running into 2011, they will start to increase by 5 to 10 percent.” Bottomley endorsed his clients’ views on likely meeting volumes and spend. “We are seeing more confidence in the marketplace,” he said. “There were more enquiries in January, although lead times are still short: about one to six months. People are also still watching their budgets and who they are sending to their meetings. Client events are back on the radar quite significantly, but internal events remain under review.” Grass Roots cited financial services and IT as the sectors most likely to increase meetings spending this year. This year’s expected trends contrast sharply with Grass Roots’ day delegate rate data for 2009, which show double-digit percentagepoint falls in many cities from 2008 continued on page 4 Strategic Travel Symposium Highlights Meetings Education Don’t miss Fleet Boston Scientific director of travel and meetings Tamara Gordon, Estée Lauder executive director of travel & meeting services Cindy Shumate and PricewaterhouseCoopers assurance director Debi Scholar discussing building a more strategic meetings management program when MeetingNews sister publication Business Travel News and the National Business Travel Association host The Strategic Travel Symposium, March 15 and 16, at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. Other sessions of interest to meetings buyers, in addition to those helmed by the headlining speakers—American Express vice chairman Ed Gilligan, New York University associate professor and hotel analyst Bjorn Hanson, UBS airline analyst Kevin Crissey and Economic Outlook Group chief global economist Bernard Baumohl—include one on hotel negotiating and alternatives with Johnson and Johnson travel services manager Maria Chevalier, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Solutions Group global project manager of hotel consulting Monica Eiden and University of Texas manager of travel for intercollegiate athletics Kevin Maguire. Amex’s Ed Gilligan Another session features Salesforce.com director of global travel Ralph Colunga speaking about Vice chairman keynotes communicating in a socially networked world with BCD Travel senior vice president April Bridgeman. Also of note, Deltek senior manager of global travel procurement Karoline Mayr, Energizer manager of human resources and travel services Doris Lee Middleton and Wyndham Worldwide manager of corporate travel services strategic sourcing Joanne McNellis will discuss making the most of your travel management company relationship with Management Alternatives vice president Will Tate. For more information, visit www.strategictravelsymposium.org. ❍ Rates will remain static until the third quarter, when they will increase by 5% to 10%. —Grass Roots conference director Robert Bottomley “ ” ings in 2010, but 33 percent believe they will stage more. However, only 3 percent have larger budgets per event while 46 percent have smaller ones. Grass Roots forecasts the range of Contents 34, No. 2 February 15, 2010 Vol. ■ Newsmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ■ Meetings Spotlight . . . . . . . 8 ■ Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ■ Meeting People . . . . . . . . . 12 ■ Construction Cites . . . . . . 14 ■ Association Watch . . . . . . . 15 ■ Strategic Mtgs. Mgmt. . . . .18 ■ Gaming Destinations . . . . 20 ■ Island Incentives . . . . . . . . 28 ■ Dateline: Hong Kong . . . . . 32 ■ South Regional . . . . . . . . . 34 ■ Travel Dashboard . . . . . . . 40 MEETING NEWS (ISSN 0145-630X, USPS No.356-010, February 15, 2010, Vol. 34, No. 2 is published monthly by Nielsen Business Media, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9595, tel. 646-654-5000. Subscriptions are offered free of charge to individuals actively engaged in planning meetings or conventions in the U.S. and Canada. The cost of a subscription to non-qualified subscribers is $79 in the U.S. and $95 in Canada (Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40031729). 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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - February 15, 2010

Meeting News - February 15, 2010
Contents
Newsmaker
Meetings Spotlight
Viewpoint
Meeting People
Construction Cites
Association Watch
Strategic Mtgs. Mgmt
Gaming Destinations
Island Incentives
Dateline: Hong Kong
South Regional
Travel Dashboard

Meeting News - February 15, 2010