On Thursday morning, 440 event planners and vendors descended on the Eden Roc in Miami for the Meeting Professionals International Southeastern Education Conference. Throughout the two-and-a-half-day event, which wrapped up on Saturday afternoon after a luncheon announcing next year's "Anything But Ordinary"-themed conference, one central topic—the economy—stood out in the chatter, with many commenting that the industry may be beginning to turn around.
"People at this conference are hopeful and working really hard to try to find [business] solutions that are right at this period of time in the industry," said Anita M. Mattner, executive director for events management at the University of Miami. "I think [the event business] will still be affected in fall and I think [attendees] want [the economy] to turn around quick, but they‘re also realistic that it’s going to be next year."
Economist Don Reynolds served as the keynote speaker at the conference on Thursday evening, providing attendees with a breakdown of how the economy got to where it is and what to expect for the future. The standing-room-only presentation set the tone for the rest of the conference.
"Everyone is ready to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I think a lot of [the change in business] revolves around our hopefulness and spirit to make it through," said Lindsay Cosimi, an Orlando-based design specialist at Room Service Furniture and Event Rentals.
Several independent planners and vendors noted an increase in requests for proposals during recent weeks—mostly for work in the first quarter of 2010—but were hesitant to say whether the upswing is a result of the economic situation improving, or simply the Florida summer slowdown ending.
"The phone is starting to ring," said Stacey Paul Barabe, president and creative director of Exhilarate Events, an event planning and production company in Orlando. "I don't have any short [business] coming up, but my 2010 is looking great. I'm getting requests every day."
In addition to the education sessions, the conference included a mini trade show in two of the hotel's ballroms, a Rat Pack-themed event at LIV nightclub on Thursday, and an Art Deco-inspired dinner at the hotel Friday, followed by a dessert and casino party at So Cool eVenue. The 2010 conference will take place August 19 to 21 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs.
