Atlanta -- Professional attendance at healthcare meetings increased nearly 14 percent this year over five years ago, according to a new report by the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA).
National meetings represent 59 percent of the meetings covered in the report, followed by state meetings, at 28 percent. Meetings classified as international in scope, even though they were held in the United States, account for 7 percent of all U.S. healthcare meetings. Regional and local meetings account for the remaining 6 percent of reported meetings.
The net square footage of exhibit space at the average medical exhibition increased 12.4 percent this year over 2002 while the average number of exhibitors increased 15.7 percent, according to HCEA. Additionally, the average cost of a 10-by-10-foot exhibit booth increased by 9.4 percent.
Healthcare conventions represent a quarter of the entire convention market, according to HCEA.
The HCEA report analyzes more than 30,000 healthcare meetings over the last ten years to identify marketing trends. The full report features 10-year trend analyses on healthcare exhibit marketing, medical specialty meetings, and destination patterns along with market reports on attendance and exhibit costs.
The association will present the report at its 2007 Healthcare Convention Marketing Summit, scheduled Jan. 18 in Baltimore. For more information, visit www.hcea.org.
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