Professional U.K. Conference Organizers' Perceptions of Important Selection and Quality Attributes of the Meetings Product

The U.K. conference and meetings industry has developed dramatically over the last decade. Interest in the industry has grown and competition has intensified. Hotels are no longer the sole venue provider-other types of businesses are diversifying and offering conference facilities. Alternative venues available include universities, purpose built conference centers, castles, and sports stadia. The quality of provision is becoming increasingly important to customers when differentiating between venues. This study's research forms part of a larger study which proposes to ascertain whether gaps exist between conference organizers and conference delegates when assessing the quality and selection criteria of a conference venue. It presents the findings of a quantitative study of 413 professional U.K. conference organizers. Then the conference organizers' perceptions of service quality attributes are compared and contrasted by importance of individual attributes and attribute subsets. The results from this unique sample will prove invaluable to the industry.