The Relationships of Meeting Planners' Profiles with Usage and Attitudes Toward the Use of Technology

Abstract

This study had four objectives: to obtain a personal and professional profile of meeting planners and their computer/Internet usage; to determine meeting planners' attitudes toward computer/Internet technologies; to analyze the relationships of meeting planner personal and professional profiles and the computer/Internet usage on attitudes toward computer/Internet technologies; and to determine if there was a relationship between professional certifications and meeting planners' attitudes. A mailed survey was sent to a sample of members of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and 616 completed questionnaires were received. In the data analysis, the independent variables were divided into the three sets of profiles: socio-demographic, professional, and computer/Internet usage. It was found that meeting planners in the U.S. are mostly young (30 to 44 years old) females in corporate planning who earn between $45,000 and $49,999. They have been working in their positions from 3 to 5 years, plan more than 20 meetings in a year and dedicate 90 to 119 minutes a day to e-mail correspondence. The results revealed that meeting planners are not comfortable with scheduling virtual meetings, even though they are young and were born within the computer age. Although technology is a vital part of their daily lives, this study has found that meeting planners have considerable room to improve their technological knowledge.     

An Analysis of Cruise Ship Meetings

Abstract

Cruise ships have become one of the many options for corporate meeting planners when faced with a decision regarding a destination for meetings and incentives (employee rewards). In the past five years, all major cruise lines have unveiled mega cruise ships to attract a piece of the more than $20 billion corporate meeting and incentives market (Buia, 2001). But how much interest really exists among the meeting planners in holding their meetings aboard cruise ships? Are cruise ship meetings really comparable to meetings planned in land based meeting facilities? This paper explores the meeting planners' perceptions and interests in cruise ship meetings.     

Exploring Content and Design Factors Associated with Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site Development

Abstract

Convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) have become important organizations within the tourism industry. The International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) reported that it represents approximately 500 destination management organizations in 30 countries (IACVB, 2003). As one of the most important components of the tourism industry in the United States, the Convention and Visitors Bureau performs various activities to facilitate destination marketing and development, with the aim of enticing leisure and convention customers to their particular city or region. Meanwhile, meeting planners are using technology to enhance their ability to produce and execute meetings that demonstrate a high return on investment. Consequently, CVBs' websites have enormous potential in selling a destination and facilitating the meeting/convention planning process. This paper explores the content and design factors associated with convention and visitors bureau web site development. It also demonstrates how planners utilize the Internet and CVB websites.     

A Refined Model of Relationship Selling Between Meeting Planners and Suppliers

This study proposes and tests a newly refined model of relationship selling in the context of meeting planners and suppliers in the Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition (MICE) industry. Results showed that newly added variables—social bonds with the supplier and meeting planners' attitudinal intention to maintain relationships with the supplier—had significant positive effects on the relationship selling construct; while both willingness and power of the supplier were neither related to meeting planners' perceived trust nor satisfaction. This refined model could provide research insights and guide future research on key relationship selling constructs between meeting planners and suppliers in the MICE industry.     

Technology

Abstract

The presence of technology in the hospitality industry is increasing at a rapid rate. Technology has had an effect on the efficiency of many facets of the hospitality industry. Despite the growing number of meetings, conventions, and conferences, there has not been a published needs assessment study of training needs-especially technology needs-of hospitality sales managers. This paper presents the results of the first part of a study that examined technology training needs for hospitality sales managers and meeting planners. The top three technology skills training needs that surfaced in the 1996 study included advertising/marketing on the Internet, developing request for proposals, and meeting planning/sales management systems.     

Virtual and Hybrid Meetings for Generation X: Using the Delphi Method to Determine Best Practices,Opportunities, and Barriers

This study identifies best practices, opportunities, and barriers for marketing and planning virtual and hybrid meetings for Generation X (36 to 49 years old) within the United States. Utilizing a modified Delphi method, a meeting professional panel contributed to four rounds of the Delphi to determine group consent. For virtual meetings, best practice recommendations included having planners collaborate with meeting content designers, including interactive experiences, and including interaction with live experts. For hybrid meetings, best practices identified included real world examples, providing easy to use and convenient technology, and having planners collaborate with meeting content designers. Opportunities and barriers for virtual and hybrid meetings were also identified     

Association Planners' Satisfaction

Abstract

The meeting industry has not attracted researchers' attention as much as industry growth and suppliers' interest. Research within the industry has examined attribute importance and attribute performance separately from the association meeting planner's perspective. This study's purpose was to evaluate state association meeting planners' satisfaction with their recent convention destination through the simultaneous consideration of attribute importance and performance. A total of 252 questionnaires from 673 faxed were completed, resulting in a 37.4% response rate. Importance-performance analysis revealed that management should concentrate their resources on providing quality meeting services, better prices, and quality meeting facilities.     

A comparison of planners' site-selection intentions towards a sustainability reward program,location, and overall costs

Previous research indicates that environmental attitudes do not always translate into environmentally sustainable behavioral intention. The current research uses sustainability reward programs as incentives for people to have environmentally friendly behavioral intentions. Specifically, this study investigates how sustainability reward program affect meeting planners' site-selection intention in comparison with other factors such as location and overall costs. While the results of the study discover that the effect of sustainability reward programs was not significant for planners' site-selection intention, considerable differences were found on the effects of other factors between different types of planners. The findings provide important theoretical and practical implications.     

Understanding the Role of Local Food in the Meeting Industry: An Exploratory Study of Meeting Planners' Perception of Local Food in Sustainable Meeting Planning

The growth in socially conscious and sustainable business models has fueled the promotion of green meetings. This fact-finding article explores the viability of sourcing local food to the meeting industry through an investigation of current meeting planning priorities and sustainability values. The results show that there is a viable demand by meeting planners for locally sourced food, that meeting planners have the contractual flexibility on food selection, and that there is a willingness to pay a price-premium for local products. However, an increase in the knowledge of the benefits for both meeting planners and meeting/event attendees is needed to encourage the use of local foods.     

Understanding Associations and Their Conference Decision-Making Processes

Abstract

A critical question for organizations and businesses involved in destination marketing and the provision of services for conferences and meetings is how associations decide where to hold their conferences and meetings. An understanding of these decision-making processes could provide valuable insights into how a destination can best promote themselves to this sector. The aims of the study presented in this paper were to identify the decision processes of association conference planners and to explore the attributes that they consider important when organizing a conference. The study used in-depth interviews with association conference organizers who had either planned an event in a regional Australian center during 2003 or who were currently in the process of planning for a future event to be held in that destination. The interviews revealed that while similar attributes were important to all planners, their importance differed between different types of associations. Major findings from the study included the importance of the bid process and the use of committees for the planning and organizing of tasks. Budget constraints were also a major component of the decision-process, as a majority of the associations studied were non-profit organizations. The venue was the most important attribute regarding the decision of host destination. The study concludes with an expanded model for convention planner decision processes based on Crouch and Ritchie's 1998 model.     

An examination of green intention: the effect of environmental knowledge and educational experiences on meeting planners’ implementation of green meeting practices

Environmental sustainability has become an important concern in staging meetings and events. This paper introduces the Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report and goes on to investigate whether prior knowledge and educational experiences related to environmental sustainability are influential factors in planners’ commitment to engaging in ecologically friendly behavior. Using a nine-point questionnaire, 278 delegates at North America's largest one-day event for meeting planners were sampled. Regression analysis showed that the intention to implement green meeting practices is positively influenced by both prior knowledge of and educational experience with greening practices. In particular, educational experiences were found to be a strong influential factor contributing to meeting planners’ intention to implement green meeting practices. By providing operational definitions of knowledge and education, it proves that knowledge gained by an unstructured format was less effective than the impact of education on green intention. Accordingly, this study not only highlights academic discussions on environmental knowledge-building through formal education but also derives managerial implications for the meeting and event industry by outlining ways to incorporate continuing professional education in sustainable meetings and events. A range of ideas for the content of that professional education is presented, along with the possibilities for e-learning.     

The Competitiveness of International Meeting Destinations in Asia

Abstract

This study was designed to discuss marketing strategies for meeting destinations in Asia, especially for Seoul. To achieve this purpose, an e-mail survey was conducted with meeting planners and buying centers to investigate their perspectives on the site selection attributes and the performance of the five meeting cities in Asia-Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo. As the result of this study, there was a little difference of perspectives on the site selection attributes and destinations' performance between meeting planners and buying centers. These results could be used to develop competitive marketing strategies for each destination.     

Association Meeting Planners' Perceptions of Five Major Convention Cities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to report the pre-test results of a questionnaire designed to examine association meeting planners' site selection criteria and performance of five major convention cities. Pre-testing is necessary to ensure face (content) validity of the instrument by assessing the meaning of questions (ambiguity and bias), continuity and flow, question sequence, scale variability, and length and timing. The findings from the pre-test provided significant feedback for content validity of selection criteria used in the study, measurement and scaling, and flow of the questionnaire. The implications were discussed.     

Measuring Meeting Planner Satisfaction with Hotel Employee Interactions

Abstract

This paper presents a follow-up study to the research conducted by Rutherford and Umbreit (1993). Their seminal work focused on identifying various dimensions of hotel employee and meeting planner interactions. The objective of this pilot study was two-fold: first, to operationalize those dimensions and, second, to survey a select group of meeting planners to gain insight on their level of satisfaction for each. The seven dimensions included communication, organization, execution, developing relationships, initiative, crisis management, and mitigation. Results indicated that meeting planners surveyed were generally satisfied.     

Perceptions of Convention Destinations

Abstract

This paper discusses the perceptions of North American convention destinations as held by association meeting planners. Based on a primary survey of meeting planners, it reveals distinct differences between the destinations. The comparative analysis of large-half and small-half meeting planners discloses a few significant differences with respect to which decision attributes are important in choosing a convention destination. However, hardly any differences exist in the perceptions of the destinations themselves between the two groups of meeting planners.     

Virtual and Hybrid Meetings: Gaining Generational Insight From Industry Experts

The focus of this study is to identify best practices, opportunities and barriers for planning and managing virtual and hybrid meetings for baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y. Through application of the generational cohort theory, a modified Delphi method was employed to identify best practices, opportunities and barriers for virtual and hybrid meetings for these three generations. The Delphi method engaged an expert panel of meeting professionals who made planning recommendations for each generational cohort. Results indicate generational perceptions of meeting attendees are considered by meeting professionals, based on their meeting planning experience, as they plan and execute their meetings, thus supporting the generational cohort theory.     

Characteristics of a Meeting Planner

ABSTRACT

This is an exploratory research project about meeting planning professionals. Survey responses were collected from 288 meeting professionals in an Internet based survey. The results found a significant difference in perception of minority representation in the industry. The study also found that career counselors are not making students in high school or college aware of meeting planning as a profession, so therefore, they are not studying it in college. People instead are finding out about it in nontraditional ways, such as learning on the job, friends and co-workers. As a result, top skills listed that are needed to succeed included personality or character traits rather than skills that could be learned.     

Understanding Supplier-Selection Criteria: Meeting Planners' Approaches to Selecting and Maintaining Suppliers

Few attempts have been made to explain the change in perspectives in regard to meeting planners' supplier-selection criteria in relation to initial supplier selection versus meeting planner-supplier relationships. This article aims to examine the perspective differences using 15 modified supplier-selection criteria in an exploratory manner. Results of this study indicate that meeting planners' perspectives on the same decision factors can change in terms of selecting and deciding upon long-term relationships. The key findings would lead to managerial implications for sales personnel of both Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry suppliers and local convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs).     

The Great Halls of China? Meeting Planners’ Perceptions of Beijing as an International Convention Destination

This research focused on meeting planners’ perceptions about selecting Beijing as an international convention destination. Twenty-three convention destination site selection criteria organized into five categories were identified. It was found that, with respect to Beijing, the importance of site selection criteria has changed since the late 1990s, with meeting planners now attaching more weight to the quality of convention services, quality of convention planning assistance, and city image. The meeting planners who had previously held international conventions in Beijing attached greater importance to research and development cooperation opportunities and choice of accommodations than those who had not. They rated Beijing's performance lower on the convenience of the application process (required by Chinese governments) and government support. It was concluded that Beijing needs to improve most on the quality of convention services and convention planning assistance, and by relaxing government policies related to the holding of international conventions.     

Information Search Behavior and Tourist Characteristics

SUMMARY

The Internet as a new form of media is impacting tourist information provision and acquisition. A better understanding of the use of the Internet and other information sources by tourists will benefit the marketing efforts of destination organizations. Based on a general consumer behavior theory by Berkman and Gilson (1986), this study examined the relationships between tourists' use of the Internet vs. other information sources and their characteristics. It was found that demographic characteristics of gender and household income and situational factors of trip purpose and travel party type were significantly related to tourists' choices of information sources; and such behavior was associated with their trip outcomes of accommodation types and expenditure. The study's implications were discussed in the context of destination marketing.