Today, we are witnessing speedy development of new technologies such as mobile, social media, and virtual reality, and an outpouring variety of social issues such as economic depression and environmental questions. Under such circumstances, meetings industry people, who should lead the change, need to smartly cope with trends in the world with their brilliant insight into the world affairs. In this light, we have identified twelve major trends that reflect latest changes in the global meetings industry. Forth keyword is mobile application.

4. Mobile Applications

Emergence of Mobile Applications Targeting Meetings Market

According to FutureWatch 2011 Survey disclosed by MPI (Meeting Professionals International), 80% of meeting professionals were using smartphone and using mobile applications for their work. Also, meeting planners and attendees were using a variety of mobile apps.

The Advantages of Using Mobile Apps

What changes has such usage of mobile apps brought to the meetings industry? While using mobile apps, not only event planners but also various interested parties such as participating companies and audience are experiencing real benefits. Major factors that derive from the use of meeting-related mobile apps are as follows.

① Real-time distribution and access to all conference information
② Better way-finding through interactive maps, floor plans and location-based services
③ Environmentally friendly
④ Enhanced onsite networking
⑤ Real-time feedback through surveys and polling
⑥ Enhanced branding
⑦ Cost reductions and new revenue streams from sponsorships and advertising
⑧ Better analytics
⑨ Better onsite management tools
⑩ Better CRM – consumer relationship management
⑪ Enhanced attendee an dexhibitor experiences

Meeting Professionals’ Usage of Mobile Apps

According to the Meetings Focus Mobile Devices Survey 2011 which was conducted on 174 meeting planners in June and July, 2011 by Meeting Focus, a platform handling specialized information for meeting planners, meeting planners used mobile apps mainly to organize their personal schedule (30%), which was followed by sending messages (19%), and evaluating information of conference program (19%). Meanwhile, 50% of the respondents said that they had never downloaded event-related mobile apps. Considering meeting planners’ high usage of smartphone, however, usage of mobile apps is expected to grow steadily.