Top Meeting Destinations for Associations
The annual convention is one of the most significant value-adds that an association can offer its membership. As the world grows increasingly more digital, the meetings and conferences associations plan are becoming more imperative. It’s a unique opportunity for peers to connect, collaborate, learn, and grow. The city your association chooses lays the framework for the entire event. This makes choosing the right destination for your association’s next conference an important decision. We here at Association TRENDS couldn’t help but wonder – what goes into making that choice? Do associations think alike? What does your conference destination say about you?
To answer these questions, we drew upon the extensive AssociationExecs database of US-based associations, and extracted 5 years (2013-2017) of our own meeting history for all associations to determine the most frequented destinations. Here is what we found out:
From 2013 to 2017 Washington D.C. was the top conference destination for associations; followed by Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, and San Diego. To add context to these results, we spoke with Don Welsh, CEO of Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination organizations and destination marketing professionals; this top ten list did not surprise him. Welsh observed, “This is essentially a list of great cities, with amazing convention spaces, an abundance of hotels, and great access to airports and public transportation. These cities have built reputations on being reliable destinations for meetings and conferences. There are no surprises when you book with them and meeting planners can schedule trips with full confidence.”
Although this list of cities did not shock Welsh, he believes there will be many cities breaking into the top ten meeting destinations soon enough. According to Welsh, some of the cities making their way up the list include Nashville, Houston, Austin, and Seattle. But what are these cities doing to make that climb? What are planners seeing that are drawing them to new places?
Don Welsh may be partial, but when he visits a city, he sees more than just its biggest convention center. He sees its culture, its heart, its attitude, and he thinks associations are starting to do the same. He assured us that meeting planners no longer need to go through the booking and planning process alone and that cities today understand more and more the importance of hospitality as it pertains to the professional world. They want you to choose them for your next conference and they are willing to tell you and show you why. By engaging your destination option, the convention bureau, and the city’s travel resources in your planning process, you are ensured to get the most out of your event. Working with Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVB’s) brings in local thought leadership to evaluate the content and knowledge base of your event. These cities are not only willing to play a role in your meeting – they want to. Don noted that many cities are now giving convention bureaus a lead role in the overall development of that city.
When looking at the time of year associations book their conventions, we at Association TRENDS noticed some interesting patterns. The winter and summer seasons were the least popular, with associations tending to book in the spring and early fall. We believe that seasonal weather plays an important factor in choosing a destination, and Don Welsh agreed. He stated that associations want to get the most out of the city they choose. He then pointed out that this could be an opportunity for associations whose bylaws don’t dictate they convene during a set time. They have the ability to explore less popular timeframes which is also a great opportunity for associations who are more budget conscious.
If you’re a meeting planner booking your association’s conference, there are some strategies you can take into consideration. If you have the ability to wander off the beaten path, do it. Engage with cities that interest you and align with your association’s values and operations. Connect with your destination selections and engage with bureaus. Organizations are missing out on incentives and enticements by going through the process alone. If your organization doesn’t have that flexibility, that’s ok too. One strategy for getting the best deal during popular time frames in popular cities includes not booking so far in advance. Some organizations can get a better deal if they don’t mind waiting until months before their event. Many times, there are last minute cancellations and associations that wait can take advantage of those cancellations.
Conferences are all about connections and community. Booking them should be no different. Make sure you are taking advantage of all the tools you have and all the support available to you.
For more information on Destinations International visit their website, www.destinationsinternational.org.
