Travel-based financial incentives play a significant role in
destination selection for almost six in 10 professional conference organisers (PCOs), according to new research by Birmingham venue The Eastside Rooms.
The results, from both international and domestic PCOs,
indicate a demand for destinations to support conference bids with incentives,
such as free local public transport or subsidised taxi rates, as they seek to
attract organisers and their attendees.
When asked if travel-based financial incentives from
destinations impact choice of destination:
- 20 per cent of
respondents answered "always"
- 39 per cent stated
"most of the time"
- Only 7 per cent
indicated that such incentives had “no impact” on their decisions
“It is clear from these findings that travel incentives are
not just a ‘nice to have’ but for 59 per cent of PCOs they are a significant
factor in their destination decision-making process,” said Leanne Bladen, director of sales and marketing at The Eastside Rooms. “Destinations that
support conference bids with travel incentives are positioning themselves as
more accessible and desirable, particularly in today’s competitive events
market.”
The survey also included insights into domestic travel
preferences and perception differences between delegate needs and those of
organisers:
- The results show that
PCOs prioritise easy travel access: 64 per cent state that they
believe travel for attendees should include one transfer or less. However, only 36 per cent of attendees agree, with a notable 64 per cent
willing to make two transfers, and 11 per cent open to three. This
suggests that attendees may be more flexible with travel requirements than
organisers anticipate.
- Further differences
emerged in terms of travel time. Only 24 per cent of organisers think
delegates should spend more than four hours on travel, whereas nearly
twice this amount (42 per cent) of attendees expressed willingness to
travel up to six hours and a surprising 11 per cent will spend eight hours
on the road to a domestic event.
“These results underscore the need for conference
destinations that cater to a broad spectrum of travel expectations,” added Bladen. “By choosing accessible destinations, PCOs can enhance the appeal of
their events and support higher attendance and satisfaction.”
