Association planners face revenue challenges

Susie Harwood, 25 March 2009

Attracting new revenue and delegates identified as key challenges for 2009

Association event planners rated finding new sources of revenue as their biggest challenge for 2009 at C&IT's Association Forum at Wyboston Lakes this week.

At the Future Forecasting opening workshop, planners were asked to rate their first and second choices from a list of potential challenges, which also included delivering more for less and attracting younger members.

Attracting delegates to events was also identified by association planners as a key issue for 2009. Association meeting attendance is more likely to stay the same or fall this year compared to 2008, with 34% anticipating it to remain static, and 30% expecting a decrease.

But despite the difficult economic climate, more than a third (36%) said they expected 2009 attendance would increase, and 35% expect their association membership to increase this year. However, 30% of delegates said their association membership had decreased or was expected to decrease this year, while 25% expected membership levels to stay the same.