NEW YORK, May 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- A national survey of top corporate meeting planners shows that 36% of the more than 50 companies participating expect to have more meetings in 2007 than they did in '06. And 39% say they will have more sessions lasting at least one day-or longer!! The study-conducted in mid-April by the Coleman Meeting Center of New York-was the first-of-its-kind to query professional meeting planners on their perceptions of future activities.
Other highlights of the survey found that 39% of those polled expected to spend more money on their meetings-and 75% said they were optimistic about business prospects for the rest of the year. Additionally - and just as importantly - 56% noted that some or most of their business enclaves would be held outside of their offices. NONE of the participants expected to hold all their sessions internally.
Why the optimism? Many of the planners noted their companies business plans called for '07 double-digit growth-and therefore an increase in events and seminars. Additionally, several said their firms are "just plain doing well."
Why more outside meetings than in? Participants said internal lack of meeting space was the Number One reason-along with the growing numbers of attendees asked to participate in sessions. Additionally, respondents said they wanted to "get away" from their work environments.
"I think this clearly indicates just how vital good business meetings are in today's world," observed Coleman Finkel, founder of the Coleman Center and long-time expert in meeting planning. "It indicates how positive planners are about the future-and how important productive, well-planned, strategic meetings are for making sound corporate decisions."
He also noted the data demonstrates the need for outside venues that are non-distracting, highly focused and very user friendly. "This increase in more and longer meetings away from the office I think aptly demonstrates the need for environments which lend themselves to offering a full-spectrum of business amenities-while reducing potential distractions. The size of the meeting is getting smaller with the majority of sessions in our center," Finkel related, "they're typically attended by 10 to 50 participants."
The study additionally found that planners biggest needs this year is finding the right facility in a major metropolitan area such as New York and being able to obtain the necessary available space.
This study will be part of an ongoing program to survey meeting planners, professional internal training executives and human resource directors on their interests and issues.
The Coleman Center (www.colemancenter.com), founded in 1992 by renowned business meeting planner Coleman Finkel, is located in mid-town Manhattan and is home to more than 1,000 meetings per year. More than 75% of the Fortune 500 companies and many of the nation's largest non-profit organizations utilize meeting facilities at the Coleman Center.