Chapter 13 - Meetings, Conventions, and Expositions

Associations date back to the Middle Ages where?

Europe

The American Society of Association Executive (ASAE) includes: ______ members and _____ associations operating at the national level.

30,000 / 7,400

How many associations are at the regional, state, and national level?

100,000

What are some of the Key Players when putting together meetings, conventions, and expositions?

• Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVB)

• Meeting planners and clients

• Convention centers

• Exhibitions

What is the role of the Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVB)?

• a non-profit umbrella organization that represents an urban area and works to increase both business and leisure traveler business

• found in many medium and large sized cities.

• the main goal for them is to increase revenue for the local community

The Convention and Visitors Bureaus work closely with meeting planners and local venues including:

• transportation

• hotels

• restaurants

• attractions

• suppliers

What is a Familiarization Trip?

The Convention and Visitors Bureaus sales manager will invite the meeting planner to visit the destination for a site inspection.

What are the five Key Responsibilities of the CVB?

• Enhance the image of tourism in the local area

• Market the area and encourage people to visit and to stay longer

• Target and encourage select groups to hold meetings in the city

• Assist groups with convention planning

• Encourage visitors to partake in all aspects of the city

Destination Management Companies

• service organization that offer a host of programs and service to meet clients needs

• Fist step is to sell the destination, next assist with all other aspects of the event from making hotel reservations to coordinating dinners or special events

Meeting Planners

• May be independent contractors or full-time employees of corporations or associations

• Plan all elements of the meeting from pre-meeting through event and post meeting discussions

Meeting Planner Role is Responsible for:

• Pre-planning activities

• On-site activities

• Post-meeting activities

Service Contractors

• Individuals responsible for providing all services needed to run a trade show

• Hired by the exposition show manager or association meeting planner

• They serve many of the needs of an exhibitor such as reservations, online service, etc…

Meeting Types

• Clinic

• Forum

• Seminar

• Symposium

• Workshop

Meeting Types: Clinic

a workshop-style meeting where attendees often learn by doing

Meeting Types: Forum

a meeting with open discussion of common concerns

Meeting Types: Seminar

lecture and dialog led by an expert discussion leader who allows participants to share experiences

Meeting Types: Symposium

led by experts on a particular subject and opinions are gathered

Meeting Types: Workshop

typically a small group, led by a trained facilitator; includes lecture, exercise, and activities designed to enhance learning

Purpose of Meetings:

• are held to affect behavior

• and there are many different types

what are the different kinds of meetings?

• presentation of new items

• recognition and reward

• to meet legal requirements

• introduction of new policies are procedures

There are multiple ways to set up a meeting room, and the clients will work with the facility to make arrangements. The main types of setups are:

• Theater style

• Classroom style

• Boardroom style

Association Meetings

• thousands are held annually

• cost is often a prime factor, as attendees pay their own way

• the meeting planner needs to consider multiple factors when choosing a destination like: price, distance, and availability of accommodations

Conventions

• larger meetings with some type of expo or trade show included

• most last 3 to 5 days

Expositions

• they bring together vendors of products and services with prospective buyers

• they often take place in conjunction with conventions

• they pay to show their wares and are a key part of the convention industry

Types of Meetings

• annual meetings

• board meetings

• corporate meetings, conventions, and expos

• social, military, education, religious, and fraternal groups (SMERF)

• Incentive meetings

what does MICE stand for

• Meetings

• Incentive travel

• Conventions

• Expositions

The meeting planning process is complex and may run from ____ to ____ or even ____

weeks / months / years

What are the steps in the Meeting Planning Process

• budget

• request for a proposal

• site inspection

• selection

• negotiation

• contracts

• pre-meeting activities

  • plan agenda

  • set budget

  • negotiate contracts

• on site activities

• post-meeting activities

Contracts

a legally binding document agreed to by all parties

Three elements required to make a contract enforceable are:

• an offer

• consideration

• acceptance

Venue decisions is based on factors such as:

location, price, amenities, and purpose of the meeting

Meeting Venues location examples

• City center

• convention centers

• conference centers

• Hotel / Resorts

• Cruise ships

• Colleges and Universities