Reed Travel Exhibitions conducted its first survey of U.S. meeting and incentive buyers who attend AIBTM, The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition, and presented the results at this year’s show, held June 19–21 in Baltimore.
The survey looked at the meeting planning habits of some 327 respondents in the Americas, who collectively organized more than 6,660 events, including conferences, exhibitions, incentives, business travel, and product launches from July 2011 to June 2012.
Of those events, most were held in the United States. Here is the breakdown of where events were held:
United States: 78 percent
Mexico: 15.4 percent
Canada: 15 percent
France: 14.1 percent
Germany: 13.7 percent
Spain: 13.2 percent
Italy: 11.9 percent
Brazil: 11 percent
Argentina: 10.6 percent
United Kingdom: 10.6 percent
Eighty percent of buyers in the Americas had meeting budgets in excess of $500,000. More than half of the respondents indicated that the number of events they plan is predicted to grow over the next 12 months, although budgets remain under pressure.
In order to do more with less, respondents said they were using more technologies, including social media, apps, QR codes, and hybrid meetings to improve communications and marketing. More than 82 percent said they use social media to communicate before, during, and after a meeting.
AIBTM, which take place next year in Chicago, June 11–13, is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions Meetings, Events and Business Travel Portfolio along with AIME, GIBTM, CIBTM, EIBTM, and Business Travel Market.