For a large event meeting planners often send rfps to

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C h a p t e r 12

Meetings, Conventions, and expositions

L E A r N i N G o B J E C T i V E S

after reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:

• List the major players in the convention industry.

• Describe destination management companies.

• Describe the different aspects of being a meeting planner.

• explain the different types of meetings, conventions, and expositions.

• List the various venues for meetings, conventions, and expositions.

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520 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

Development of the Meetings, Conventions, and expositions Industry people have gathered to attend meetings, conventions, and expositions since ancient times, mainly for social, sporting, political, or religious pur- poses. as cities became regional centers, the size and frequency of such activities increased, and various groups and associations set up regular expositions.

Associations go back many centuries to the Middle ages and earlier. the guilds in europe were created during the Middle ages to secure proper wages and maintain work standards. In the United States, associations began at the beginning of the eighteenth century, when rhode Island candle mak- ers organized themselves.

Meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) represent a segment of the tourism industry that has grown in recent years. the MICe segment of the tourism industry is very profitable. Industry statistics point to the fact that the average MICe tourist spends about twice the amount of money that other tourists spend.

Size and Scope of the Industry according to the american Society of association executives (aSae), as of 2009, there were more than 90,908 trade and professional associations.1 the association business is big business. associations spend billions holding thousands of meetings and conventions that attract millions of attendees.

the hospitality and tourism industries consist of a number of associa- tions, including the following:

• american hotel & Lodging association (ah&La)

• National restaurant association (Nra)

• american Culinary Federation (aCF)

• Destination Marketing association International (DMaI)

• hospitality Sales & Marketing association International (hSMaI)

• association of Meeting professionals (aMps)

• Club Managers association of america (CMaa)

• professional Convention Management association (pCMa)

associations are the main independent political force for industries such as hospitality, offering the following benefits:

• a voice in government/politics

• Marketing avenues

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chapter 12 Meetings, Conventions, and expositions 521

• education

• Member services

• Networking

thousands of associations hold annual conventions at various locations across North america and throughout the rest of the world. Some associa- tions alternate their venues from east to central to west; others meet at fixed locations, such as the Nra show in Chicago or the ah&La convention and show in New York City.

associations have an elected board of directors and an elected president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. additional officers, such as a liaison person or a public relations (pr) person, may be elected according to the association’s constitution.

Key players in the Industry the need to hold face-to-face meetings and attend conventions has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Many major and some smaller cities have convention centers with nearby hotels and restaurants.

the major players in the convention industry are convention and visi- tors bureaus (CVBs), corporations, associations, meeting planners and their clients, convention centers, specialized services, and exhibitions. the wheel diagram in Figure 12–1 shows the types of clients that use convention cen- ters by percentage utilization.

11% Government/ Social Service

Convention Center Utilization by Market Sector

5% Exposition Trade Shows

8% Educational

7% Fraternal and Social

5% Religious 19% Others

45% Professional and Trade Shows

Figure 12–1 • Convention Center Clientele.

LearNINg ObjeCtIve 1 List the major players in the convention industry.

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522 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

Cvbs are major participants in the meetings, conventions, and exposi- tions market. Cvbs comprise a number of visitor industry organizations rep- resenting the various industry sectors:

• transportation

• hotels and motels

• restaurants

• attractions

• Suppliers

the bureau represents these local businesses by acting as the sales team for the city. a bureau has five primary responsibilities:

1. to enhance the image of tourism in the local/city area

2. to market the area and encourage people to visit and stay longer

3. to target and encourage selected associations and others to hold meet- ings, conventions, and expositions in the city

4. to assist associations and others with convention preparations and to give support during the convention

5. to encourage tourists to partake of the historic, cultural, and recre- ational opportunities the city or area has to offer

the outcome of these five responsibilities is for the city’s tourist industry to increase revenues. bureaus compete for business at trade shows, where interested visitor industry groups gather to do business. For example, a tour wholesaler who is promoting a tour will need to link up with hotels, restaurants, and attractions to package a vacation. Similarly, meeting plan- ners are able to consider several locations and hotels by visiting a trade show. bureaus generate leads (prospective clients) from a variety of sources. associations have national and international offices in Washington, D.C. (so that they can lobby the government), and Chicago.

a number of bureaus have offices or representatives in these cities or a sales team who will make follow-up visits to the leads generated at trade shows. alternatively, they will make cold calls to potential prospects, such as major associations, corporations, and incentive houses. the sales manager will invite the meeting, convention, or exposition organizer to make a familiarization (FAM) trip for a site inspection. the bureau assesses the needs of the client and organizes transportation, hotel accommodations, restaurants, and attractions accordingly. the bureau then lets the individual properties and other organizations make their own proposals to the client. Figure 12–2 shows the average expenditure per delegate per stay by convention type.

business and association conventions and Meetings publicly held corporations are required by law to have an annual share- holders’ meeting. Most also have sales meetings, incentive trips (all-expense paid trips for groups of employees that meet or exceed goals set for them),

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chapter 12 Meetings, Conventions, and expositions 523

product launches, focus groups, executive retreats, seminars and training sessions, and management meetings.

Corporations are big spenders, in part because they receive tax deduc- tions on their meeting expenditures. When a corporation decides to hold a gathering, it determines what the budget will be, where the gathering will be held, and who will attend. Since the corporation typically pays for all expenses associated with attendance at the meeting, hotels, resorts, and convention centers compete for this lucrative business. In the United States, almost 1.3 million corporate events are held annually, with a total atten- dance of 107 million.2 Corporations also arrange incentive trips—paying all expenses for a special vacation for the employee or customer and a signifi- cant other at a hotel, at a resort, or on a cruise ship.

associations represent the interests of their members and gather at the state, regional, national, and international levels for professional industry- related reasons; for annual congresses, conventions, and conferences; and for scientific, educational, and training meetings.

Conventions are a major source of income for associations, as they charge attendees a registration fee and charge vendors for booth space (this gives vendors a chance to sell their products to attendees). association conven- tions and meetings attract crowds ranging from hundreds to over 100,000, which only the larger convention facilities like New York, Orlando, Las vegas, San Francisco, and Chicago can handle. the next level of convention

Veteran $775

Average length of stay is 3.5 days.

Governmental $695

Social Services $723

Military $498

Religious $587

Medical, Legal, Insurance, Computer

$1,764

Trade Show $1,248

Educational $875

Social $864

Figure 12–2 • Average Expenditure per Delegate per Stay by Convention Type. The Significance of These Amounts Is That Given an Attendance of Several Hundreds to Thousands of Guests, the Economic Impact Quickly Adds Up and Benefits the Community in a Variety of Ways.

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524 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

facilities includes cities like Washington, D.C., San Diego, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, boston, and phoenix/Scottsdale.

the larger associations book their dates several years ahead, some in the same place at the same time of year; others move around the country. For example, the ah&La holds its annual convention during the second week of November in New York City at the javits Center, and the Nra holds its annual convention during the third week of May in Chicago at McCormick place.

▶ check Your Knowledge

1. according to the american Society of association executives (aSae), how many associations operate at the national level in the United States?

2. What are the five primary responsibilities of a bureau?

3. What is the purpose of a familiarization (FaM) trip?

Destination Management companies (DMcs) a DMC is a service organization within the visitor industry that offers a host of programs and services to meet clients’ needs. Initially, a destination man- agement sales manager concentrates on selling the destination to meeting planners and performance improvement companies (incentive houses).

the needs of such groups may be as simple as an airport pickup or as involved as an international sales convention with theme parties. DMCs work closely with hotels; sometimes a DMC books rooms, and another time a hotel might request the DMC’s expertise on organizing theme parties. patricia roscoe, chairperson of patti roscoe and associates (pra), says that meeting planners often have a choice of several destinations and might ask, “Why should I pick your destination?” the answer is that a DMC does every- thing, including airport greetings, transportation to the hotel, vIp check-in, arranging theme parties, sponsoring programs, organizing competitive sports events, and so on, depending on budget. Sales managers associated with DMCs obtain leads, which are potential clients, from the following sources:

• hotels

• trade shows

• Cvbs

• Cold calls

• Incentive houses

• Meeting planners

each sales manager has a staff or team, which can include the following:

• a special events manager, who will have expertise in sound, lighting, staging, and so on

LearNINg ObjeCtIve 2 Describe destination management companies.

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chapter 12 Meetings, Conventions, and expositions 525

• an accounts manager, who is an assistant to the sales manager

• a theme-events creative director

• an audiovisual specialist

• an operations manager, who coordinates everything, especially on-site arrangements, to ensure that what is sold actually happens

For example, patti roscoe’s DMC organized meetings, accommodations, meals, beverages, and theme parties for 2,000 Ford Motor Company dealers in nine groups over three days for each group.

roscoe also works closely with incentive houses, such as Carlson Marketing and Maritz travel. these incentive houses approach a company and offer to set up incentive plans for companies’ employees, including whatever it takes to motivate them. Once approved, Carlson contacts a DMC and asks for a program.

Meeting Planners Meeting planners may be independent contractors who contract out their services to both associations and corporations as the need arises or they may be full-time employees of corporations or associations. In either case, meeting planners have interesting careers. according to the professional Convention Management association (pCMa), about 212,000 full- and part- time meeting planners work in the United States.

the professional meeting planner not only makes hotel and meeting bookings but also plans the meeting down to the last minute, always remem- bering to check to ensure that the services that have been contracted have been delivered. In recent years, the technical aspects of audiovisual and simultaneous translation equipment have added to the complexity of meet- ing planning. the meeting planner’s role varies from meeting to meeting, but may include some or all of the following activities:

Premeeting activities • estimate attendance

• plan meeting agenda

• establish meeting objectives

• Set meeting budget

• Select city location and hotel/con- vention site

• Negotiate contracts

• plan exhibition

• prepare exhibitor correspondence and packet

• Create marketing plan

• plan travel to and from site

LearNINg ObjeCtIve 3 Describe the different aspects of being a meeting planner.

A meeting planner explains to clients how a meeting will take place.

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526 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

• arrange ground transportation

• Organize shipping

• Organize audiovisual needs

On-site activities • Conduct pre-event briefings

• prepare vIp plan

• Facilitate people movement

• approve expenditures

Postmeeting activities • Debrief

• evaluate

• give recognition and appreciation

• plan for next year

as you can see, this is quite a long list of activities that meeting planners handle for clients.

service contractors Service contractors, exposition service contractors, general contractors, and decorators are all terms that have at one time or another referred to the individual responsible for providing all of the services needed to run the facilities for a trade show. just as a meeting planner is able to multitask and satisfy all the demands in meeting planning, a general exposition contractor must be multitalented and equipped to serve all exhibit requirements and creative ideas.

the service contractor is hired by the exposition show manager or asso- ciation meeting planner. the service contractor is a part of the facilities management team, and, to use the facility, the sponsor must use its service contractor. In other situations, the facility may have an exclusive contract with an outside contractor, and it may require all conventions and exposi- tions to deal with this contractor. today, there are Internet service companies that can take reservations, prepare lists, and provide all kinds of services via the Internet for meeting planners.

▶ check Your Knowledge

1. Describe destination management companies.

2. What are the primary responsibilities of professional meeting planners?

3. List the major players in the convention industry.

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c O r P O r a t e P r O F i L e

hawai’i Convention Center

The Hawai’i Convention Center (HCC) and Hawaii is consistently recognized by meeting plan- ners and conventioneers as the world’s most desirable convention and meeting destination and has built its reputation around being a facility “where business and aloha meet.”

Since Hawaiian hospitality values are recognized as the most sophisticated and genuine in the world HCC offers each employee training in the Hawaii Institute of Hospitality, a pro- gram of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA). The seminar, headed by the Hawaii Institute of Hospitality, is just one element of a series of Na Mea Ho’okipa (Hawaiian Hospitality) training for the staff at the center. More than teaching hospitality, ho’okipa advo- cates a personal behavior system based on Hawaiian values and a heightened “sense of place.”

“Ho’okipa is about understanding who we are and how we fit into this place, and the Hawai’i Convention Center has always had a fundamental sense of how it, as a viable economic powerhouse and ultimate host, fits successfully within Hawaii’s cultural envi- ronment,” said Peter Apo, director of NaHHA.

Implementing the ideology of the program surpasses initial training workshops. The Convention Center and NaHHA have created a comprehensive handbook that codifies a

prescription for the practice of aloha and further explores the concept of a “Hawaiian sense of place.” The hope is that it will become a tool used not exclusively for work purposes, but one for all interpersonal relationships.

Ho’okipa training also includes a novel approach to orienting staff to the concept of place, the most integral element of the visitor experience. A walking tour through historic Waikiki reiterates that it is not merely high rises and hotels, but one of the most sacred, culturally important places in Hawaii.

In addition to innovative employee training, HCC also unveils powerful marketing initiatives such as The Hawai’i Advantage: a strategy to position the Convention Center and Hawaii as the world’s most desirable convention and meeting destination. This advantage is channeled through various facets, each one an instrumental consideration for meeting planners. The premise is that Hawaii as a destination expounds on aspects including, but not exclusive to, location, productivity, competitive shipping, value of facility, destination appeal, industry support, and customer ser- vice in a way that no other destination can. And, of course, no other destination offers “business with aloha.”

“The Hawai’i Advantage is a powerful concept that works on several levels; it distinguishes the Hawai’i Convention Center from other venues and is an initiative rooted in testimonials of past convention attendees,” said Joe Davis, SMG general manager of the Hawai’i Convention Center from 2000 to 2013. “The Convention Center and Hawaii offers conventioneers an unmatched experience. Once we get them here for the first time, we know they will rebook,” says Davis.

Hawai’i Convention Center highlights:

• One million square feet of meeting facilities, including an exhibit hall, theaters, and expansive conference rooms • Convention Television (CTV)—an exclusive service with the capability to broadcast convention information

in 28,000 hotel rooms in Waikiki, as well as on screens within the Center. CTV is an expedient way for orga- nizations to reach out to conventioneers with its message, as well as showcase sponsors, VIPs, and trade- show participants.

• Designed with a “Hawaiian Sense of Place”—the Center captures the essence of the Hawaiian environment with a soaring, glass-front entry; a 70-foot misting waterfall; and mature palm trees.

• The facility also houses a $2 million Hawaiian art collection of unique pieces commissioned for specific locations within the building and features a rooftop outdoor function space complete with a tropical garden of native flora.

• The Center’s state-of-the-art technical features include fiber-optic cabling, multilingual translation stations, satellite and microwave broadcast capability, and videoconferencing.

• Marketed and managed by SMG, a company that operates 98 percent of the publicly owned exhibition space operated by private companies in North America

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528 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

Courtesy of James McManemon, M.S., University of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee

Mobile technology is strongly developing in many hospitality industries. There are two types of mobile apps for events—a web-based program that may be accessed through the Internet on a mobile device, or a software program that must be downloaded to a specific device. These meeting apps allow planners to enter into web- based meeting platforms for free or for a charge. The new platforms and software are being built specifically to accommodate smartphones and tablets.

One of the market leaders of this segment is Delphi by Newmarket International. Some of the features of this software include the following:

• Providing forecast values that better estimate guestroom pickup, ensuring the desired mix between group and transient business

• Responding to requests for proposals (RFPs) from the software • The ability to flag and determine which accounts should track transient production from the property man-

agement system • Enhanced suite logic that enables guestroom configurations of suites for more accurate inventory reporting • Customized guestroom security that lets you move guestrooms in and out of inventory for a specified period of time • Configurable security settings that limit changes on key booking information • Guestroom overblock controls that allow for specific room types to be overblocked while restricting other

room types • Simplified guestroom rate fields that drastically reduce time-consuming data entry

Similarly, there are online solutions for managing meetings. RegOnline offers online event management, registration, and planning software. This software allows anyone to create an event web site and allows registrants to self-register for the event. Additionally, it generates nametags and attendee lists.

t e c h n O L O g Y s P O t L i g h t

Meeting, Convention, and exposition technology

The Hawai’i Convention Center’s recent list of awards includes:

• Prime Site Award from Facilities & Destinations magazine (1998 to present) • Planners Choice Award—Recognition for Excellence in the Hospitality Industry—Meeting News Magazine (2005) • Ranked as North America’s most attractive convention center in the METROPOLL X study, Gerard Murphy &

Associates (2004) • Best Use of Nature in Design—Tradeshow Week Magazine (2003)

The Hawai’i Convention Center’s Web site at http://www.meethawaii.com/ offers the following information:

• Meeting planner testimonials • Floor plans and facility services • News and media kit • 12–month event calendar

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http://www.meethawaii.com/
chapter 12 Meetings, Conventions, and expositions 529

types of Meetings, Conventions, and expositions Meetings Meetings are conferences, workshops, seminars, or other events designed to bring people together for the purpose of exchanging information. Meetings can take any one of the following forms:

• Clinic. a workshop-type educational experience in which attendees learn by doing. a clinic usually involves small groups interacting with each other on an individual basis.

• Forum. an assembly for the discussion of common concerns. Usually, experts in a given field take opposite sides of an issue in a panel discus- sion, with liberal opportunity for audience participation.

• Seminar. a lecture and a dialogue that allow participants to share expe- riences in a particular field. a seminar is guided by an expert discussion leader, and usually 30 or fewer persons participate.

• Symposium. an event at which a particular subject is discussed by experts and opinions are gathered.

• Workshop. a small group led by a facilitator or trainer. It gener- ally includes exercises to enhance skills or develop knowledge in a specific topic.

LearNINg ObjeCtIve 4 Explain the different types of meetings, conventions, and expositions.

With the advance of smartphones, a lot of conference and event-management applications were introduced for mobile phones such as the iPhone and Droid devices. Some examples are as follows:

• QuickMobile—Features include full conference schedule; personal agenda building; area guide; search capabilities for attendees, speakers, and exhibitors; integration with social media including Twitter, Face- book, and Pathable; and messaging. QuickMobile builds apps for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Android, and mobile web, providing greater ease of use than companies that provide only mobile web versions.

• FollowMe from Core-apps, LLC—FollowMe was the mobile app for the 2010 Consumer Electronic Show, one of the largest shows in the tradeshow industry. Features include a full conference schedule; personal agenda builder; maps; exhibit hallway finding (you are a dot on the map); course notes and literature pickup; session alerts; Twitter integration; and sponsorship revenue sharing.

• Snipp2U from Snipp—This application allows meeting planners to send text messages (SMS) to attendees. It is a low-cost, fast communication channel.

• Foursquare—A location-aware mobile application that allows people to check in anywhere to network with others and to share with friends. Although originally used in restaurants, bars, and so forth, these applica- tions are starting to be used for events.

Some trends in the areas of meetings and conventions involve technologies for both virtual and physical events. These hybrid events mix face-to-face encounters with virtual encounters. The SlideKlowd platform is targeted to professors and students, but can be used by businesses for training or professional courses. The interactive elements allow presenters to set up polls or surveys, ask questions, or make comments during a presentation. Presentations become more effective and engaging for learning.

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530 Part iv assemblies, events, attractions, Leadership, and Management

the reason for having a meeting can range from the presentation of a new sales plan to a total quality management workshop. the purpose of meetings is to affect behavior. For example, as a result of attending a meet- ing, a person should be well informed and capable of acting upon that information. Some outcomes are very specific; others may be less so. For instance, if a meeting were called to brainstorm new ideas, the outcome might be less concrete than for other types of meetings. the number of people attending a meeting can vary. Successful meetings require a great deal of careful planning and organization. Figure 12–3 shows convention delegates’ spending in a convention city.

Meetings are set up according to the wishes of the client. the three main types of meeting setups are theater style, classroom style, and boardroom style.

• theater style generally is intended for a large audience that does not need to make a lot of notes or refer to documents. this style usually consists of a raised platform and a lectern from which a presenter addresses the audience.

• Classroom setups are used when the meeting format is more instruc- tional and participants need to take detailed notes or refer to docu- ments. a workshop-type meeting often uses this format.

• boardroom setups are made for small numbers of people. the meeting takes place around one rectangular table.

440 $

400

360

320

280

240

200

160

120

80

40

0 All

Visitors Staying

in Hotels/ Motels

$320.45

$119.50 $143.90

$152.70

$423.60

$184.60

$37.90

Visitors Staying

with Friends/ Relatives

Visitors Staying

Elsewhere in the Area

Area Residents

On Day Trips

Convention Delegates Staying in

Hotels/ Motels

Spending by Individuals

Additional Pro Data Convention Sponsor Spending

Additional Pro Data Exhibition Spending

Figure 12–3 • Convention Delegates’ Spending in a Convention City (San Francisco). Source: J. R. Schrock.

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