Tired of virtual meetings? If so, you're not alone.
According to data from U.S. Travel, more than two-thirds of Americans are feeling “Zoom fatigue" with 63 percent of those surveyed noting that they are tired of web conferencing or virtual meetings and are eager to get back to in-person meetings.
“After countless virtual meetings, many of us are eager to reconnect and get back to conventions, trade shows, motor coach tours, reunions and other group events,” said Bob Harris, executive vice president of sales at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC) and Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).
The renewed enthusiasm to meet in person is resulting in increased meeting bookings, attendance numbers and interest from meeting planners at the Myrtle Beach Area CVB, according to Harris.
Professional Meetings and Events accounted for 42% of all business travel spending and 11% of all travel spending in the U.S. prior to the pandemic (2019)
U.S. Travel Association
The CVB joins the U.S. Travel Association and travel industry organizations around the world to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day on April 7, 2022., by shining a spotlight on the value of in-person meetings, including the positive impacts they have on participants and the local economy.
“These meetings account for a significant economic impact on our local economy,” said Karen Riordan, MBACC and CVB President and CEO. “That’s one of the reasons why this year’s Global Meetings Industry Day is so important. It’s an opportunity for us to let meeting and event planners know that The Beach is ready to host their attendees.”
Not only do large, in-person events spur human value and connection—but they also serve as a significant economic driver, injecting valuable spending dollars back into host communities and the U.S. economy.
The U.S. Travel Association reports:
- Professional Meetings and Events accounted for 42% of all business travel spending and 11% of all travel spending in the U.S. prior to the pandemic (2019)
- The nearly $130 billion in PME-related travel spending in the U.S. directly supported: 800,000 American jobs; $42 billion in employee payroll; and $19 billion in federal, state and local tax receipts.
To mark Global Meetings Industry Day, the CVB is sending 15 of their top meeting prospects a special “beach survival kit” gift as an incentive to book their business in the Myrtle Beach Area.
The Myrtle Beach Area CVB offers a multitude of meeting planning services, including providing site inspections of area venues and hotels, familiarization tours, and resources such as the newly updated Myrtle Beach Area Meeting and Group Planner Guide.
