The numbers from Convene's 15th Annual Meetings Market Survey tell the story: Almost half (46 percent) of survey respondents said attendance at their largest 2005 meeting increased and about the same percentage predict they will have even more attendees at their largest 2006 event.

The numbers in this year's survey bode well for the meetings industry, which made putting this issue together a more positive experience. As an editor who works with words all day, though, the figures and stats tell me only part of the story. It's the comments from participants to the open-ended survey questions that I particularly enjoy reading every year. Even though there are no percentages attached to them, they are telling.
Here's a taste of what's on planners' minds about hotels:

"The service level of all major hotels needs to be addressed during this seller's market." j "The trend of hotels to evaluate one piece of business without taking into consideration the other pieces of business that organization can potentially bring to the table has made it more difficult to be loyal to any chain or hotel."

About attracting new attendees:

"Planners will need to be more aggressive in marketing meetings and association membership to young people."

As one might expect, most of the answers to the question, "What is the most innovative change or addition you have made to your meeting(s) in recent years?" had to do with technology. Lots of planners said wireless is the way to go. Other high-tech touches:
"Adding a technology room where we do pod casting as well as streaming to the Web with select speakers."

"Archiving the sessions onto a Web site for attendees to access after the conference; having the archive available via CD for purchase after the conference."

"RFID and you-based marketing."

Changes in education:

"We worked with presenters to make their sessions more engaging as facilitators of learning versus deliverers of content."

And many of the responses reflected a greater emphasis on sponsorships:

"We cancelled the exhibit hall and now do a sponsorship hall/area."

The responses reveal a level of sophistication and strategic thinking. But for planners in a high-tech world, that must be tempered with an insight into simple human nature, as evidenced by this planner's innovative change: "We use white boards for directional assistance. For some reason, people see the urgency of reading something that is handwritten - though they never notice the printed sign."

Many thanks to every planner who took the time to complete our survey.