UK event planners say they are organising more functions with larger attendance than in previous years, according to a recent survey for the MICE industry.
The Cvent 2019 Planner Sourcing Report – UK Edition includes data from a survey of 500 event planners, 46 per cent of whom said they are organising 50 or more events per year. Thirty-three per cent of those functions hosted more than 500 attendees, showing growth in the size of events.
Interestingly, it appears UK planners are busier than their North American and Middle East counterparts, with 19 per cent and 17 per cent of organisers in those markets saying they plan 50 or more events per year.
Furthermore, the percentage of UK planners organising conferences (46 per cent), training sessions (65 per cent), fundraisers (57 per cent) and exhibitions (47 per cent) is higher than global averages.
Some of the key pain points highlighted by planners in the research include slow request for proposal (RFP) response times and ineffective communication with venues. In fact, 32 per cent of respondents said venues need to improve their attention to detail when submitting proposals and a third said the property not having what it promised as a key reason for not going through with a booking.
When it comes to sourcing, 41 per cent of those surveyed consider a venue’s brand reputation before deciding to send an RFP and 37 per cent research reviews. Both of these factors are considered more important than venue cost, cited by 36 per cent of planners.
Prior history is a major consideration for booking a certain venue, with 44 per cent of planners weighing up their existing relationship with the property.
“Hospitality professionals should be heartened to see that the MICE industry continues to grow, which means more business opportunities,” said Chris McAndrews, VP of marketing for Cvent Hospitality Cloud. “UK planners are busier than ever, and there is increasing pressure to deliver impactful experiences that drive revenue. With these higher expectations, event planners are keen to work with the hoteliers and venues that address their needs in a timely, proactive and concise way. The venues and destinations that make improvements to clarity and transparency of proposals and offer a more flexible approach to negotiation are the ones that will reap the benefits.”
Download the full report here
cvent.co.uk