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There’s no dispute that the subject of ROI (Return on Investment) measurement has been the hot topic for the past year and more. The great debate in the US incentive market is whether, when all is said and done, this subject is getting more than just lip service. Many industry associations are spending thousands of dollars researching and developing methods of measurement. Some corporate users are applying ROI measurements to various programs including meetings and incentives. Still, many industry providers are skeptical about the seriousness of applying ROI measurements either because they don’t fully understand them or they believe the old adage of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” BUYERS AND SELLERS HAPPY WITH THE 2004 MOTIVATION SHOW Both exhibitors and attendees at The Motivation Show said that corporations are using travel again and purchasing incentive merchandise to motivate and reward their audience. Registrations continued the trend of recent years with the number of resellers showing a steady increase while the number of end-users has declined. (Buyer registration reached 15,117 this year.) This switch toward increased reseller attendance over end-user attendance has actually increased the level of buying power on the exhibit floor. Resellers tend to have larger budgets since they are purchasing for multiple clients. Overall, 25,972 people registered to attend The
Motivation Show. "Although total registration is
down slightly, our preliminary scanner counts show a 4.4% increase in
buyers on the exhibit floor,” said Nancy Petitti, Show Director.
“Among the buyer categories increasing when compared to 2003 were
incentive companies, meeting planners, promotional products distributors
and travel agency/fulfillment companies.” This is obviously the
audience that is most important to the show both from an exhibitor and
buyer point of view. IMEX BUZZ WILL BE 15% LOUDER IMEX was set up just two years ago by UK industry veterans, Ray Bloom and Paul Flackett. The Frankfurt (Germany) show has already established itself as the benchmark exhibition for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry. In 2005, the show is expected to be 15% larger when it opens in its new home, Hall 8, Messe Frankfurt on April 19th. Over 2,500 exhibitors representing 130 countries will participate. Hosted buyer forecasts are on target to reach 3,000, with 10% representing influential long-haul markets including the USA, Canada, Brazil, China, Australia, South Africa, Russia and the Middle East. Additionally, the show attracts over 3,000 German buyers, representing the third largest outbound market in the world. The show delivers a stimulating mixture of topical seminars, “New Vision” debates and projects plus personal and professional education opportunities. If you want to be one of the 12,000 professionals expected to be doing business over three days at IMEX, go to www.imex-frankfurt.com to register and gain access to the 50% flight discounts offered by the show’s official airline, Lufthansa. MORE BUSINESS --- NO COST We work in a very challenging business environment --- one that changes rapidly. Chances are that you and your organization lack some of the skills to meet your customers’ growing needs. Frequently, customers will identify an apparent problem but not realize that its solution involves multiple departments in the organization. Many smaller and mid-size incentive and sales promotion companies do not have in-house resources to address all aspects of those situations. What’s the answer? That’s easy --- strategic partnerships. ALLIED HOSPITALITY MARKETING ADDS NEW CLIENTS Allied Hospitality Marketing, a fourCE.org partner, has added two strategic destinations to its impressive list of representation clients. "Many of our incentive, meeting and group
organizers are now expanding their international travel and have requested
that we add services to Southern Africa and Portugal", reports
John Udell of AHM. "After much research we discussed sales opportunities
within North America with the Travel Team in Portugal
and Tusker Tours in Southern Africa. Both organizations
are very highly respected destination management companies and offer
personalized service, extensive destination expertise, innovative programming
and competitive pricing."
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MUSINGS There’s something positive in the air. There is an enthusiasm and optimism in our industry that I haven’t seen in a few years --- and it is a change that I welcome wholeheartedly! It’s difficult to comprehend this mood because there are still causes for concern --- and both our customers and we know that --- but I suspect we have learned to live and deal with those concerns. There is a strengthening of the positive attitudes that we saw return during the latter part of last year. It’s refreshing to see this new attitude replacing the negative mood that plagued our industry for too long a time. We need that enthusiasm to spur us on to bigger and better programs --- in spite of the horrendous devastation of the tsunami and news of ongoing war. This new-found enthusiasm stimulates us to re-examine our individual businesses, set new goals, make sure that our people are adequately trained to reach those objectives, and take some giant steps forward. We must take the lead now to develop and implement new marketing programs to get a share of future business. We can’t afford to sit and wait for business to roll in. That’s just not the way it happens. Perhaps it is time to remember that, in many ways, each of us does ultimately control our own future. Bob Vitagliano, CITE |
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