U.K. Conference Venues

ABSTRACT

The following paper investigates the supply and demand for conference venues in the United Kingdom (U.K.) over the past 40 years. The main data relates to trends in the type of venue facilities provided in the U.K. and how the varying market sectors use these. It is suggested that the patterns of venue development have often been in response to perceived opportunity for business rather than actual demand. The concern is raised that current business levels cannot support the growing supply of venues and that continued new developments may not be the most appropriate method of approaching the situation.     

UK Conference Delegates' Cognizance of the Importance of Venue Selection Attributes

Abstract

The UK meetings industry has grown dramatically over the last ten years. Interest in the industry and competition is increasing and the move towards using venues other than hotels for meetings is growing. The pattern of growth experienced by the industry brings with it the question whether the quality of provision is becoming increasingly important to customers when differentiating between venues.

The research forms part of a larger study, which proposes to establish whether gaps exist between conference organizers' and conference delegates' needs when selecting and assessing the quality of a conference venue. This paper presents the findings of a quantitative study of 547 conference delegates. Conference delegates' perceptions of service quality attributes were compared and contrasted by importance of attributes and attribute subsets. The results provide a unique perspective and will be extremely valuable to venue managers.     

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.     

The U.K. Conference and Meetings Industry

Abstract

During the last ten years, the U.K. meetings industry has developed rapidly. Regard for the industry and competition amongst venues is growing. The industry is attracting increasing levels of attention, while an intensified incidence of venues other than hotels are competing within this sector. This progressive expansion of demand experienced by the industry heightens the importance of the quality provision for customers when differentiating between venues. The ultimate aim of the research is to determine whether gaps exist between the attributes employed to assess the quality and desirability of a U.K. conference venue-firstly by conference organizers and conference delegates and secondly between their perceptions and the characteristics of the product provided. This paper presents an approach to the development of a research instrument to measure and compare an inventory of service quality attributes as perceived by meetings organizers and delegates.     

The Asian Perspective

Abstract

The following paper investigates the use of unusual venues as conference facilities within the United Kingdom and identifies the current and future management issues. Unusual venues include such diverse properties as castles, visitor attractions, boats, sports stadiums, and galleries able to accommodate from ten to one thousand delegates. Reduced government funding has encouraged many of these venues to diversify their revenue generation activities, with conference activity providing lucrative and innovative opportunities. This paper provides a market analysis of this sector within the United Kingdom, with particular reference to market demand, the motivations for investment, and future influences on their management.     

Convention and Conference Facilities

Abstract

A rigorous statistical analysis indicates that large group bookings are a dominant source for errors in convention and conference facilities. This study demonstrates that the accuracy of the quantitative forecast can benefit from human judgment when an explicit structured process is applied to the judgmental adjustments. It develops and fits a correcting model that simulates managers' predictions. The results suggest that this approach can improve the accuracy of quantitative forecasting models when applied and calibrated to the hotel's specific characteristics.     

FROM THE EDITOR

Abstract

Thailand has some of the finest conference venues in Southeast Asia, and the convention/exhibition industry is important to the development of the nation's overall tourism industry. The convention/exhibition industry is good for the tourism industry, because it helps to enhance the quality of accommodations, hospitality, and services that are located in such an exotic location. Also, it stimulates the convention/exhibition industry investment in terms of associated facilities and services. An analysis of the performance of the convention and exhibition industry in 1996 and 1997 was conducted in this paper. The results solidly suggest that Thailand has a strong convention and exhibition industry which should produce substantial economic impact in the years ahead. Recommendations for future research are also provided.     

Introduction

ABSTRACT

The U.K. meetings industry has grown dramatically over the last 10 years. Interest in the industry and competition is increasing, and the move toward using venues other than hotels for meetings is growing. The pattern of expansion experienced by the industry brings with it the question of the quality of provision, which is becoming increasingly important to customers when differentiating between venues. Therefore, the aim of the research is to determine whether gaps exist, first, between the attributes employed to assess the quality and desirability of a U.K. conference venue by conference organizers and conference delegates and, second, between their perceptions and the characteristics of the product provided. This paper presents a qualitative approach to the development of the research instrument. This paper was originally presented at the Ninth Annual CHME Hospitality Research Conference.     

A preliminary assessment of the function and conference service product at a UK stately home

The UK conference market is estimated to be worth £6 billion and is thought to be the fastest growing sector of the hotel industry. An increasing number of less conventional venues are aiming to attract corporate business, though most empirical research focuses on the hotel conference product. A UK stately home is the venue studied in this article. To identify possible areas for improvement, a telephone survey of customers was undertaken to assess the service and facilities. The high average ratings indicate that generally organisers have a favourable impression of the stately home. The research revealed significant differences in the average ratings given for the Main Hall and His Lordship's Apartment, the two rooms available for functions. Event category and organiser experience were not found to influence the ratings. Due to the relatively small sample size, only tentative observations are made about the trends which emerged from the analysis.     

E-Complaint

SUMMARY

This study looks at the recent phenomenon of online or e-consumer complaints often referred to as e-complaints and stresses that travel and tourism professionals should address such complaints. E-complaints are then examined using the service recovery process. A detailed examination of the service recovery literature is undertaken. Suggestions for the future direction of e-complaint research are also made.     

Contemporary factors influencing association conference attendance

Abstract

Competition amongst conference tourism destinations has intensified. Understanding the factors influencing delegate attendance thus becomes increasingly important. This paper aims to extend the current body of academic knowledge by examining motivators and inhibitors deriving from not only previous academic research but also contemporary industry reports. Delegate expectations relating to new and established factors influencing conference attendance are explored, while motivating and inhibiting factors are ranked in order of importance. Proactive management and organization responses to these factors are proposed. The research findings are important to destination managers in prioritizing the investment of their limited resources aiming to address the higher-importance factors. This allows such destinations to improve in their competitiveness in attracting conference tourism and conference delegates.     

Curriculum Development in International Convention and Conference Management at Meio University,Okinawa, Japan

Abstract

Many factors, political, economical, and environmental, are conducive to the introduction of a specialized convention and conference management curriculum in Okinawa, Japan. Recent changes in the Japanese government's industrial policies to expand and reinforce the Okinawa Free Trade Zone by 2005 is one such factor. To handle this increase, Okinawa will require an infrastructure that will support and maintain this expansion, which includes educating the workforce with a sound convention and conference university curriculum in Okinawa. Therefore, this study documents the process and results of a convention and conference management curriculum development endeavor between Meio University in Nago, Okinawa, Japan, and the University of Houston in the United States.     

会展场馆选择标准研究述评——基于会议策划者视角

文章的主要目的在于对与国外会议策划者选址过程相关的实证性研究文献进行回顾,以期引起对该领域的关注,并推进我国会展业策划实践。文章通过对关键词的搜索,从外文数据库中选取1977～2012年的27篇与会议策划者选址相关的公开出版文献,对这些文献进行述评并梳理每篇文献中会议策划者的选址标准。研究结果发现,目的地及目的地酒店及会展场馆设备设施的质量和性能、成本、安全和人力资源是会议策划者最重要的选址标准。最后,针对现有研究不足提出了未来可能的研究方向,结合我国国情和文化特色从跨文化研究和利益相关者合作角度提出建议。     

Conference mobile application: Participant acceptance and the correlation with overall event satisfaction utilizing the technology acceptance model (TAM)

Abstract

Although many studies have been conducted focusing on technology trends and acceptance, there is a lack of research investigating the factors that influence conference attendees’ attitudes toward a mobile event app based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework. The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants that influence conference attendees’ attitude toward using a conference mobile event app. The results found that perceived usefulness was the greatest predictor of the app users’ attitude toward the mobile event app, attitude is a significant predictor of overall conference satisfaction, and perceived ease of use was the only significant variable found to vary between age groups. The study’s findings have implications for stakeholders in the MICE industry and the open-ended survey responses offer insights into what conference attendees deem as valuable app functionality and how attendees’ age group may affect technology preferences.     

Profiling the Hotel and Conference Center Meeting Planner

Abstract

Meeting planners are recognized leaders of the sweeping changes that have occurred in the hospitality industry in the last two decades (Raimondi, 1989). However, a review of professional and industry journals reveals a large disparity in the amount of attention afforded the corporate meeting planner in comparison to others in the profession, especially those in the hotel conference center arena. This article presents an overview of the evolution of the meeting planner and explores demographic data and current trends in the rapidly growing profession.     

Understanding Motivations,Inhibitors, and Facilitators of Association Members in Attending International Conferences

Abstract

This study examined the motivations, inhibitors, and facilitators that influence association members in attending international conferences. Mailed questionnaires were sent to conference participants of the 2000 International Council of Hotel, Restaurant Industry Educators (CHRIE) conference. It was found that “Sightseeing,” “Self-enhancement,” and “Business and association activities” are the underlying dimensions of the conference motivations. The underlying dimensions of conference inhibitors are “Conference and personal constraints” and “Distance, time, and money.” The study also revealed that “Affordability and availability of time,” “Family/spouse,” and “Distance and ease of access” are major conference facilitators.     

Conference Participants' Acceptance of the Internet as An Information and Registration Tool

Abstract

Using the 1999 Annual Civil Affairs Conference as a medium, this study ascertained the acceptance and utility of using the Internet for registration and informational purposes for this group of civil affairs officers. The results indicate that computer usage and Internet access consumer patterns are distinctly different than other reported consumer usage profiles. With this in mind, certain challenges exist for the conference meeting planner in matching the usage patterns of this respondent group.     

Socioeconomic variations in perceived barriers to recreation participation among would‐be participants

Abstract

The effects of fifteen barriers to participation were examined among people who expressed a desire for but were unable to participate in a new recreational activity. Work commitments, overcrowding of facilities, and lack of partners were the three main barriers. The effects of barriers were not perceived uniformly across the sample but varied between subgroups defined according to socioeconomic variables: the people most likely to be affected by barriers to participation included the poor, the elderly, and single parents. The extent to which recreation practitioners can and should respond to these kinds of research findings is discussed, and several ways in which the effects of barriers to participation might be modified or alleviated are evaluated.     

What do conferences do? What is academics’ intangible return on investment (ROI) from attending an academic tourism conference?

ABSTRACT

Conferences are funny events. They are self-evident elements of our lives as academics: meetings that occur, often annually; take place in various locations; and involve (hopefully) like-minded people, aiming to share their latest research findings. Conferences are actually so self-evident that very little research exists analysing what takes place at conferences, why people attend them in the first place, and essentially what the conference does to delegates as participants. This article is, on one hand, a reflective report from an academic conference: TEFI 9—Celebrating the Disruptive Power of Caring in Tourism Education. But it is also simultaneously an analysis of the implicit and explicit rationale and return on investment for attending academic conferences, in the words of three, at that time, PhD candidate rapporteurs and one professor rapporteur, who acts as this article’s narrator.     

Crowd Management Practices

Abstract

Imagine thousands of people pushing you down onto steel tubing with such force that your body helps bend and ultimately collapse the tubing-throwing scores of people to the hard turf. No imagination would be necessary if you were one of the fans in the student section at Camp Randall Stadium witnessing the Michigan versus Wisconsin football game in 1993. Seventy-seven fans were injured in the attempted “rush” onto the field. These injuries produced 11 lawsuits and reigniting the debate concerning crowd management techniques which had been dormant since shortly after the stampede at a Who concert that killed 11 people in the 1970s.

The following study was undertaken to determine what crowd management techniques are currently being utilized at stadiums throughout North America. The lessons learned from dealing with potentially rowdy crowds can be applied to numerous public assembly facilities which might host a variety of events that can draw diverse crowds. The stadiums were analyzed according to their size, year built and related variables. Next, the survey analyzed what crowd management techniques and training were utilized and who was responsible for crowd management activities. The survey also analyzed whether or not the facilities had ever faced crowd surges and techniques utilized to prevent potential catastrophes. In addition, the study examined what stadiums were doing to control alcohol related activities such as violence and sneaking alcohol into a facility. Lastly, the survey analyzed the liability threat facing facilities and examined their past liability track record.