STATE
I N D U S TRY
SU RVEY
OT
BY JOEL SCHETTLER,
AMANDA FRETHEIM GATES,
& ELLIE M. BAYRD
With the economy on such shaky ground, it’s hard
to tell what the future will bring. It’s not an understatement to say the road recently traveled has been the most
treacherous the hospitality industry has ever seen: Budget cuts,
recession, not to mention the newly coined “AIG-effect,” all left
their mark in 2009. What’s next? ¶ Even if hospitality is already
improving, many believe the road to recovery will not lead the
industry to familiar ground. Once business returns and the storms
have passed, what will the playing field look like? ¶ In this sixth
annual survey, we measured the state of our industry’s health
from many viewpoints, soliciting information and comments
from creative hospitality professionals across the industry. We
didn’t aim to simply measure the economic struggles of the past
year. Nor did we intend our survey to serve as a crystal ball to
accurately map our path to economic recovery. Instead we set
out to identify some of the ideas that will be having an impact
on hospitality and the people who work in it. Some of the trends
will be important to you right now, while other data may only hint
at what may still be years away. We hope the survey serves as
a framework from which to generate new ideas and start new
conversations as we welcome the new year. >
ABOUT THE SURVEY:
The sixth annual Meetings:
Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal
Industry Survey was posted on www.
mn-meetings.com from July through
September 2009. Respondents could
opt into one of two versions of the
survey: the first designed for general
meeting planners, and the second
designed for vendors/suppliers to
the industry. Response was driven by
mailings to 8,000 randomly selected
industry professionals, upon which
166 usable surveys were received
(113 planner surveys, 53 vendor/
supplier surveys).
THANK YOU:
Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality
Journal would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate
in this year’s survey. Your insight and
knowledge allows us to bring you our
best possible coverage of the state’s
hospitality industry. Our thanks also
go to this year’s survey sponsor:
The Bloomington Convention &
Visitors Bureau. Finally, we would
like to thank Cove Point Lodge in
Beaver Bay, Minn., for providing the
survey incentive prize of a weekend
getaway at their beautiful Leech
Lake property. Congratulations to
winner Joan Rausch, director of
special events, Minnesota Chamber
of Commerce.
