Chicago. The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) welcomed a record-breaking 683 attendees to the hybrid component of its annual meeting, Convening Leaders, in 2013. 70% of those who registered attended, far surpassing the 40% average benchmark. In a one-day rebroadcast of selected sessions from the meeting, the organization engaged an additional 160 unique attendees.
“Attendees across all industries are dealing with increased travel costs and increased responsibilities at work,” Deborah Sexton, president and CEO, PCMA, says. “Our hybrid meeting gives us the opportunity to engage with members who are unable to attend and create connections with non-members who want to learn more about PCMA.”
Remarkable: 68 percent of 2013 hybrid attendees do not belong to PCMA yet. PCMA has already seen its past investment in hybrid technology pay off, too. In 2012,112 Convening Leaders attendees, who had either never attended the meeting or had not been in 6 years, indicated that participation in a PCMA hybrid or virtual meeting influenced their decision to attend face-to-face.
