IMEX – Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) partnership organisation INCON has released the results of its Third Annual Survey of Global Association Conference Market at IMEX today (24 May), claiming 62 per cent of respondents stated business was faring better in 2011 than the previous year.
INCON’s partners operate from 73 destinations and itsw 2,000 staff organise 6,600 conferences and events annually.
Co-Chairwoman Inge Hanser said 42 per cent of partners expected sponsorship revenue to rise in 2011 and 71 per cent expected to hire more staff in 2012.
“The green shoots of 2010 are resulting in an upturn for our business and better employment prospects,” she said.
The INCON survey also confirms the increasing impact of technology on the meetings business, with 75 per cent of respondents saying they use or plan to use mobile app technology for their conferences.
IT and technology steps up to become the most important trend of 2011, the survey found.
Perception of value (No.1 last year) is moved into third place, with Green meetings being now cited as the second most important trend.
On the supplier side, rates for venue hire will see a rise, respondents said, with rates for catering also rise, but less dramatically than venue hire and housing.
There appeared to be listtle cdhange in the competitive landscape in 2011 with the number of local PCOs remaining steady.
Eighty-eight per cent forecast a continued rise in service levels.
INCON Co-Chairwoman Roslyn McLeod added that a major challenge for PCOs was getting programmes together in time. “The challenge is to manage clients to produce timely conference programmes to make their products more attractive,” she said.
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