The
Site International Foundation has released results of the latest Site
Index Annual Survey. The Site Index compiles and compares data over a
number of years to track changes and forecast trends in the
motivational events industry.
This
third year of the study measures movement in key indices as well as
introduces new topics of discussion.
“The
Site Index results confirm that the overall use of motivational
travel continues to be on an upswing,” commented Stephen Powell,
President of the Site International Foundation and Senior Vice
President of Worldwide Sales forInterContinental
Hotels Group.
“After several years of intense scrutiny, companies are recognizing
the role incentive travel programs played in their past success and
are implementing new
programs to
elevate future performance.”
Key
observations:
•
Respondents
(86%) indicate that the use of motivational travel will increase or
substantially increase in the next one to three years, with
respondents significantly more positive about the short term (the
next six months) than in previous years.
•
A
majority of respondents continue to believe that the requirement to
measure ROI or ROO, although still important, has stabilized.
•
While
the convergence of meetings and incentives is slowing, inclusion
of business
meetings and
other similar components in motivational events will continue to
experience some growth.
•
A
significant majority of respondents say that the inclusion
of corporate
social responsibility and
“green initiatives” in motivational events will continue to
increase.
•
More
respondents (58%) are asking for or providing more site
selection/hotel placement-only services than in previous years.
•
As
evidenced in the recently released study Site Index: Focus on
Technology and Social Media, the use of mobile technology is
increasing in importance.
“As
the motivational events industry continues to evolve, it is more
important than ever that professionals gain insight on how the
industry is performing in the current environment and be aware of
what trends are shaping the future,” shared Mark Bondy, Chair of
the Site International Foundation Research Committee and Partner and
President of VIKTOR Incentives & Meetings. “Leveraging the Site
Index, the Site International Foundation strives to measure what is
relevant and important so companies can use this information to build
marketing plans that ultimately drive business results.”
Data
for the Site Index are derived from the collective experiences and
perspectives of a global group of incentive travel and motivational
event users and providers. For this survey, responses were received
from 112 people in 22 countries. The survey was supervised by Scott
A. Jeffrey, Ph.D., Monmouth University, and Marion Joppe, Ph.D.,
University of Guelph, and was sponsored by the InterContinental
Hotels Group. To obtain a full copy of the Executive Summary of
the Site Index Annual Analysis and Forecast of the Motivational
Events Industry.