Last week, I posted about how thrilled hoteliers must be about the return of the seller’s market. And today, the good news is that planners also are on the comeback trail (click on image to enlarge so you can read the darn thing).

According to the recently released Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell 2004 Portrait Of North American Meeting Planners (log on to the “Publications” section of the main Web site to view the full report), the 900 planners surveyed this summer (half corporate, half association) said:

Surprise, surprise, surprise–while most association execs saw their salary rise over the past two years, expositions/tradeshow manager saw a decline in total compensation (this on top of decreases from 2001 to 2002). Not a good trend, folks. For the full press release, click on “continue reading” below.

Update: This article from Meeting News has some more of the numbers.

Many know Mickey Schaefer from her role as APEX Commission Chair, or from her stint as PCMA’s president, or from her many other roles as a leader in the industry. She has long been a mover and shaker also in her role as Vice President, Administration, Meetings & Conventions, Membership and Strategic Planning & Marketing, with the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Well, in an e-mail today, she announced that she’ll be leaving the AAFP at the end of January 2005 to move to Tucson and start her own business, which will focus on the meetings industry and associations. She stresses that she will continue her volumnous volunteer activities, including her work with APEX, and that she hopes to be able to give more details of her future plans by the time the PCMA conference in Honolulu rolls around.

While I can only imagine how hard it’ll be to hang up her AAFP hat after such a long and happy relationship, I and all my colleagues here at The Meetings Group wish her bon voyage on her new life’s journey.

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January in Chicago may not sound like an outdoor haven to most normal people, but for boaters and outdoor enthusiasts, it’ll be the place to be. That’s because The Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show will co-locate with Outside magazine’s newly launched Travel Show Chicago 2005. With 70,000 people expected to attend, this show will be the largest event in the Midwest market for recreational and leisure activities. The show will be held January 19–23, 2005, at McCormick Place.

While boats and RV enthusiasts don’t necessarily strike me as good prospects for the international travel destinations the Outside show brings to the table (unless these guys have cruise ships and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang Winnebagos) the organizers seem to think it’s a good fit. As do exhibitors, according to the press release:

“By co-locating with the Travel Show Chicago 2005, the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show has expanded its travel destinations section of the show to include global opportunities for travel. The event will now host more than 600 exhibitors representing 78 countries.

“With travel being a major component of recreational and leisure activities, combining these two shows makes strategic sense for our customers,” says Cooper Cox, shows and events director for Outside. “Over 70,000 affluent attendees will gain access to the incredible resources provided by our travel suppliers, tourism boards, and manufacturers.”

Maybe I’m just missing something here?

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