International association meetings shrug off financial pressures

More than 100 executives responded to the survey. 31% reported higher actual or planned attendance for their 2010 events than in previous years and 46% indicated no change, with only 14% reporting slight reductions and fewer than one in ten reporting a “significant” fall in numbers. However, the financial pressures are continuing: only 20% reported higher income from sponsors and exhibitions, 40% showed no change, and 40% suffered falls in this side of their budgets.

When asked about their projections for 2011, these executives painted an even more positive picture: almost one-third will be running more meetings than in 2010, with only 8% planning to organise fewer; and a massive 53% are projecting higher attendances than in 2010, compared to a tiny 6% who expect their delegate numbers to fall.