Classic destinations are still finding favor with planners, according to Successful Meetings’ “2013 International Meetings Survey.” The fact that safety and security came in as the top consideration in selecting a destination may have something to do with that. There is also the reason that classic destinations are classic: They are popular with attendees, easy to get to, and have excellent meeting facilities.
Still, the results revealed a few surprises. For example, Costa Rica — until recently an up-and-coming option — came in second, after Brazil, in the list of Central and South American nations planners would be most likely to consider.
When it comes to the type of meeting that is held internationally, conferences were No. 1 (67.3 percent), followed by training meetings (45.8 percent), management/board meetings (38.3 percent), conventions (34.6 percent), and incentive travel programs (33.6 percent). The surprise was sales meetings, which missed the top five with just 32.7 percent.
After safety and security (3.72 on a four-point scale), the most important factors for planners in selecting these destinations were location (3.67), quality of accommodations (3.49), quality and attentiveness of the staff (3.43), and air access (3.37).
