Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/140546
•pg_14-22__BMT_pg3-58 6/21/13 9:08 PM Page 15 ajor corporations spend tens of thousands of dollars studying trends, looking for little nuggets of information to maintain or gain a competitive advantage. Business leaders sift through mounds of data and become prognosticators of future events based on past performance, shifts in technology, social mores and business cycles. At times executives simply need to separate themselves from all the numbers and take a holistic view of their business. That's what we've asked several industry leaders in meetings, conventions and hospitality to do here. It's not statistical analysis we wanted, rather we wanted them to gaze into their crystal ball and lead us into the future. First some universal findings that most of the nine respondents below mentioned. Business across the board is up as our economy heals. The second was really not a finding, but more of a want – a want to see more spirited cooperation among the many players in our industry; or as Deborah Sexton, president & CEO, Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA), put it, "collective industry advocacy initiatives." Sexton says, "the industry organizations really got behind this last year and I see us together being able to make a positive impact on the perceptions and value assessments of our industry." To ensure our survival and prosperity this need for the "collective" can't be overstated, and it appears many industry leaders are taking action. Oil and gas, banking and the airlines industry might all be competitors by day, but they band together when necessary for the greater good. (No wonder all of our prices rise unison, but I digress.) The other finding was the need to incorporate technology. All nine respondents mentioned adapting to technological innovation as a way to appeal to clients, customers and members. We choose not to ask questions about the boogieman known as "sequestration." The variables associated with $85 billion in automat- M ic spending cuts that took affect March 1, 2013 were too difficult to predict with any degree of certainty at press time, but we're already experiencing the negative effects of sequestration. Government trade shows, a staple of our industry are being cancelled. Government travel across all sectors, (federal, state and local) have been drastically reduced. At airports, cutbacks in TSA personnel and air traffic controllers are slowing down the nation's air transportation system. Those traveling back to the United States have reported two to three hour waits clearing customs and immigration, and that's for U.S. citizens. With the exception of Roger Dow from the US Travel Association, no one addressed sequestration. We wanted to focus on moving forward. We asked a few basic questions and gave the respondents free reign to answer as they saw fit. Here are the questions. "What do you see as the primary trend/s affecting your group or business interest in 2013, positive or negative, or both?" "Are your members feeling the benefits of an improving economy?" "What would you like to see from the overall travel, tourism and hospitality industry to improve the circumstances for the organization you represent?" And finally, "Are there any particular trends in your sector of the industry we should keep an eye on going forward. LISA SIMON, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL TOUR ASSOCIATION (NTA) "In January, we asked our members to forecast the top trends and issues that would impact their business — either negatively or positively. Across the board — tour operators, suppliers and destinations said dealing with demographic shifts and changing consumer needs was at the top of their list. This does represent a challenge, but it's also a huge opportunity. As an industry, we need to nurture young professionals because they are the future, and for our members' businesses, NTA is helping prepare them for how younger people view travel and how they B M & T ••• May/June 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 15