Key findings on the Swedish meetings industry from a recent study by consulting firm, Reality Checks

Shifts in meeting buying patterns

• Shared responsibility between professional meeting bookers and corporate client becoming more frequent
• Individual co-workers booking meetings independently as required
• Responsibility being passed from PA to the professional meetings buyer     

Other meeting trends

• Higher expectations on product
• Flexible approach required from suppliers
• Shorter lead times
• Strong rational for meeting to take place required
• Content needs to be clearly specified
• Internet used to search and to book
• Intermediaries (independent consultants, travel agents and meeting bookers) used more frequently to book meetings
  

What does this mean for Britain?
This research was conducted into the Swedish domestic market and presents us with key insights into what our customers expect or will expect from us in the near future. Buyers are carefully considering the cost and effectiveness of meetings. This fact will not change even if economic climate becomes more robust. 

To succeed, VisitBritain and British suppliers need to adapt to customer needs and the changing business environment. Strong Internet presence is essential.  

Gary Robson is Business Travel Marketing Manager in VisitBritain's Stockholm office. In 2005/6 VisitBritain will be targeting Swedish meeting planners through an improved online offering to meetings and incentive planners throughout the Nordic region and a Nordic Meetings & Incentive Roadshow (J.O.S.H.). Both of these are opportunities for UK suppliers to work with VisitBritain and grow your share of this market.

Gary commented recently:
"In the Nordic countries we see two broad types of meetings and incentives buyer, the more affluent buyers will nearly always use an intermediary and budget per delegate ranges from an absolute minimum of £390 – while the average budget is currently between £615 and £925. The more exclusive groups generally have budgets of between £1385-£1540 per delegate. We need to inspire this type of buyer to choose Britain against our direct competition (Spain, France, Italy, Germany, & Long Haul)."

"The other type of buyer is a ‘DIY’ buyer – they are prepared to put together their own conference or events and are nearly always on a very restricted budget. Some of the characteristics of the 'DIY' buyer are: that they will use budget airlines and accept 3* accommodation. They are not keen to book via an intermediary, as they feel they can get the best deals direct or on the Internet. They frequently call our contact centre. In our experience this type of buyer rarely has a budget over £460 per delegate. We need to inspire this type of buyer to choose Britain against our direct competition (Domestic conferences, Other Nordic/Baltic destination and eastern Europe)."

If you are interested in targeting the Nordic markets please contact Gary Robson:
T: (+46 8) 4401 702
E: gary.robson@visitbritain.org

VisitBritain publishes regular reports on overall trends in the markets in which we are active as well as opportunities for you to work with us to target them on this website. You can access this information directly by clicking here.