DO MEETING PLANNERS SLOW DOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS? ABSOLUTELY NOT!


There is no rest for the wicked. I’ve been in the conference and convention planning business for well over 20 years (that’s a whole other story). Many of my friends assume that meeting planners and industry suppliers have a lot of down time over the holidays.

Wouldn’t that be nice!

However, the truth is that when there is a perceived “quiet time” for meeting and events, that’s usually when planners are busy working on proposals, closing files and, you guessed it, attending planning conferences.

Planning Conferences Increase during Industry Downtimes

The holidays can actually be a very busy time for meeting planners.  It”s just that you’re not necessarily seeing them execute programs. But they are busy.  And really, isn’t the best time for a meeting planner to attend a conference when their clients are not meeting.

That’s why our industry’s top associations hold their planning conferences during the, so-called, shoulder months. And it makes good business sense; attendance is higher and convention center rates are lower. Meeting Planners, for the most part, are able to concentrate on the conference’s programs, many continuing their career development, without being interrupted with their own business’s demands.

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)’s annual conference is held in January. The next one is in Orlando, hosted at the Orange County Convention Centre, from January 13-16, 2013.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) will be hosting their annual European Meeting & Events Conference from January 29-31, 2013 in Budapest.

The Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), one of the top industry supplier associations, is hosting their annual conference in Montreal, Canada from February 7-9, 2013.

Conference Facilities and Host Cities Benefit with Industry Planning Conferences

What would normally be a slow period for many convention cities can become quite lucrative for cities that host meeting planning conventions.

So, while the conference and convention industry’s meetings may be slower over the holidays and new year, meeting planners and industry suppliers are busy attending their own planning conference. In addition to networking with industry colleagues, these conferences are also an excellent way for individuals to continue their growth through education.

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