Indicates Lost Opportunities for Event Success and Budget Savings
BOSTON and MONTREAL (July 30, 2007) – In organizing events, meeting planners rank air and ground transportation last in importance in contributing to the success of their activities, according to survey results released today by BostonCoach at the MPI World Education Congress in Montreal.
BostonCoach is a leading chauffeured transportation and transportation management company that specializes in executive sedan service, road shows and complex events such as major sporting events.
Transportation represents the very first and very last impression an attendee has of an event, and we know from previous research that the views of people who attend events and meetings are colored by the travel experience they have coming and going,” says Catherine Chaulet, BostonCoach senior vice president of events. By paying such little attention to transportation, meeting planners are taking a big chance that transportation troubles will jeopardize the overall success of their events.
The BostonCoach online survey of 131 meeting planners, event organizers and travel managers shows that meeting planners and event organizers consider the venue, production and entertainment, and staffing as the top-three factors contributing to success. Food and hotel selection follow, with ground and air transportation last.
Ground transportation also ranks last in the time spent planning and in the amount of budget allocated. While the meeting planners surveyed select a venue eight months ahead of time and spend almost 25 percent of their budget on food and beverages, they plan ground transportation three months ahead of time with five percent of their budget.
Just as it can be difficult to book a popular venue on short notice, quality ground transportation can be difficult to secure without appropriate lead time,” adds Chaulet. By waiting so long to begin planning transportation requirements for an event, meeting planners run the risk of paying more and getting less. By planning further ahead, especially for popular destinations like Scottsdale in January, meeting planners can lock in better pricing and secure the best staff, which they say they value.
Meeting planners surveyed indicated that they begin contracting for their staff six months before an event and spend 11 percent of their budget for that support, six percent more than they allocate for ground transportation.
About BostonCoach
BostonCoach provides safe, reliable and convenient chauffeured and group transportation in thousands of cities across 40 countries. At the same time, BostonCoach offers innovative programs and technology to help clients reduce, manage and control their transportation spend and risk.
