Remember when the early-bird savings cutoff mattered? As the deadline approached, you could expect a big bump in numbers that helped you get a good sense of how the upcoming show would perform. That big bump now feels more like a thud. Past data from Maritz has shown that roughly 45% of attendees don’t register until four weeks out from the event, and the issue appears to be getting even worse.
Andrea Doyle looks at new research from Freeman today that uncovers why attendees are waiting too long to commit and what meeting marketers can do to motivate them to book flights and block the time on their calendars. Head below to get the full story, along with an interview with the new leader of FICP and a look at why planners should pay attention to the big-picture implications of a record-setting rainy Sunday before IMEX in Las Vegas. — David McMillin
FEATURED STORIES
Even Las Vegas Needs a Rain Plan: Record Storm Snarls IMEX Arrivals
by Andrea Doyle
FICP’s New President on Intentional Connection and Growth
by Barbara Scofidio
5 Ways to Turn Attendees and Speakers Into Promoters
by Barbara Scofidio
Why Late Event Registration Doesn’t Actually Exist Anymore
by Andrea Doyle
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SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS
Is Your Hotel on the Picket List?
Today’s Skift Pick comes from my hometown of Chicago, where hundreds of Unite Here Local 1 members have walked off the job at six hotels: the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, both Westins (River North and Michigan Avenue), Palmer House, Waldorf Astoria and the Millennium Knickerbocker. The frontline employees chose one of the city’s busiest weekends of the year — the Chicago Marathon — to make their case in a contract negotiation. And it could get bigger: more than 7,000 workers at 46 hotels have authorized a strike, and the union’s president says the rest “could be on strike at any moment.”
The strike is a reminder for meeting planners to look at where a property stands with its workforce before you sign. Marriott and Hilton both say their hotels have plans to keep operating. But “operating” with a picket line at the front door isn’t the experience you promised attendees. This goes beyond the Windy City, too. Seattle just ended an 85-day strike, and before that workers walked out in LA, San Francisco and Boston. No matter where you’re thinking about heading next, ask when the hotel’s labor contract is up. Then make sure your agreement spells out what happens if workers walk out: service standards, attrition and cancellation relief, and whether a strike counts as force majeure.
Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events.
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