United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Religious meetings keep the faith
Planners of faith-based meetings are getting special attention these days due to their recession-proof nature, according to MICE experts.
“Religious-meeting planners are finding they are some of the most popular people around these days. They are being deluged with sales calls,” said DeWayne Woodring, executive director of the Religious Conference Management Association (RMCA).
Experts say religious meetings maintain consistent sources of meeting business without regard to economic conditions.
No surprise there because when times are bleak the devout still go to meetings to look for guidance. Unlike corporate meetings, religious groups are not economically driven.
Religious meeting planners usually go after the most affordable rates, so they frequently meet during “value seasons.” This makes them even more desirable for cities and locales with slow down times.
Downtown hotels are the top choice of religious meeting groups, according to the latest RMCA survey. Conference centers are second.
Most of these meetings are not large groups. Only about five percent of religious meetings need more than 3,000 sleeping rooms, but a majority of religious groups use exhibit space, with more than two-thirds reporting they need show space.
By David Wilkening
David
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel