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Roomnights generated by U.S. meetings

Meeting type                Roomnights    Percentage

Corporate business        XXX million           XX%
Conventions/conferences    XX million           XX%
Trade show                 XX million            X%
Incentive                  XX million            X%
Other                      XX million            X%
TOTAL                     XXX million          XXX%

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers

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National Report -- A landmark PricewaterhouseCoopers study has found the U.S. meetings industry contributed more than $XXX billion of direct economic contribution to the economy while contributing XXX million roomnights to the hotel industry in 2009.

"Two years ago it became crystal clear that the economic and social significance of this engine was not understood, but actually misunderstood," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. The study, conducted by surveying X,XXX professionals, shows the meetings industry is driven by corporate and business travelers who comprise XX percent of meeting participants. Seventy-one percent of meetings in the U.S. are corporate and business events, with XX percent of meetings held as conventions or conferences.

Eighty-five percent of meetings are held at a lodging facility, meaning more than X.X million events were held at U.S. hotels in 2010. The study found that XXX million visitors, both domestic and international, will travel to a corporate or business meeting, while XX million will travel to conventions or conferences.

"We're talking about a conservative measure of the industry," said Robert Canton, director at PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Only three or four industries eclipse meetings in terms of jobs."

The study estimates that the meetings industry contributed X.X million jobs to the economy, along with a $XXX billion addition to gross domestic product in 2009.

Direct expenditures from both participants and production totaled $XXX billion in spending. Of this spending, $XXX billion went toward the planning and production of meetings, while just $XX billion of the total went to accommodations.

For the government, the industry generated $XX.X billion in federal taxes and $XX.X billion in state and local taxes during 2009. In terms of value added to the GDP compared to industries, meetings ranked XXth with a $XXX billion contribution.

"It's significant for two reasons," Canton said. "One, being limited by the definition of meetings. Two, it really is conservative and also this analysis was conducted in almost the most down year we've had in the meetings industry for a long time."

By Andrew Sheivachman

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

asheivachman@questex.com

U.S. participant volume by meeting type

Meeting type              Participants    Percentage

Corporate business        $XXX million           XX%
Conventions/conferences    $XX million           XX%
Incentive                  $XX million           XX%
Trade show                  $X million            X%
Other                      $XX million            X%

TOTAL                     $XXX million          XXX%

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers

U.S. meetings direct
expenditures by
commodity

Travel & tourism

Accommodation
$XX billion               XX%

Food & beverage
$XX billion               XX%

Air transportation
$XX billion                X%

Retail
$X billion                 X%

Gasoline
$X billion                 X%

Recreation/entertainment
$X billion                 X%

Car rental
$X billion                 X%

Other
$X billion                 X%

Subtotal
$XXX billion              XX%

Meetings & other

Planning & production
$XXX billion              XX%

Venue rental
$XX billion                X%

Other
$XX billion               XX%

Subtotal
$XXX billion              XX%

TOTAL
$XXX billion              XXX%

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