Study Measures the Impact of Meetings

The Convention Industry Council recently released a first-of-its-kind study that quantified the impact of meetings. Impacts reported in "The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy" included 1.7 million direct jobs, $263 billion in spending, $14.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $11.3 billion state and local tax revenue. The total estimated economic output for these meetings was $907 billion. The study considered 1.8 million meetings held in the U.S. during 2009 that met the United Nation's World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) definition - a gathering of 10 or more participants for a minimum of four hours at a contracted venue. The study's reported impacts are characterized as conservative, due to the limitations imposed by the definition as well as the timing of the study at a recent low point for the industry.

The need for this study was highlighted by an under-appreciation of the value of the meetings industry by governments and the public during the recession. The meetings industry was hampered at the time by a lack of good data with which to defend itself. The study was conducted by PwC US. Detailed results, a press release, a toolkit and more about the study can be found at www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com.

TTRA International Conference, June 19-21, 2011

"The tourism marketing world should always be research based and driven by data.  There is no better place to keep up with the latest travel trends and rub elbows with the brightest in your field than at the annual conference staged by the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA)," according to Dee Ann McKinney-State Research Director for the Missouri Division of Tourism AND the Chairman of the Board for TTRA.

This year's attendees will have the opportunity to hear experts on such topics as:

• Understanding digital life and social media
• Utilizing creative research and tourist motivations
• Listening to the consumer changes the game for people and brands
• What research matters and how to develop a research agenda for the next decade of the new millennium
• Economic and travel outlook sessions: Surviving the Economy
• Lodging trends
• Heritage tourism corridors/visitor loyalty to cultural events
• Crisis response
• Managing sustainable tourism
• Shopping Motivation for Tourists
• Using research to develop creative

For more information on sessions, the conference and how to register, please go to www.ttra.com.  To receive a discount on registration, take advantage of the early bird special which ends April 15^th!  Regular registration ends May 30, 2011.

From Where I Sit

By Patty Becraft

CenStates Chapter President

We start off this new year with great expectations, and new challenges.  The economy continues to be on the forefront and greatly affects every industry - but REALLY hits home in our tourism world.  Gas prices are rising again, and the world is in turmoil.  But - I don't want to be such a pessimist!  We are a strong TEAM - and have "been there and done that" before - and we WILL survive!

Read more from Patty here.

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