Stable market expected

In this year's Annual Industry Survey, corporate buyers made up a healthy 43 per cent of the 434 respondents. This is up from 39 per cent last year. The survey was able to comprehensively show where these buyers had held events in 2005, where they were going to be in 2006 and also take a look at regional planning trends from 2004-06. Some 47 per cent of corporate buyers say their company will hold between one and five CEI events during 2006. For conferences, the most popular locations will be China (29.55 per cent), Singapore (31.82 per cent), Hong Kong (26.14 per cent), Thailand (20.45 per cent) and Australia (18.75 per cent). Conferences and exhibitions For conferences and exhibitions, China again leads the way with 26.1 per cent and 19.8 per cent of corporate buyers respectively indicating that they will hold an event there in 2006. China has also come out on top of the incentives market, with 13.3 per cent of respondents indicating their organisation is planning in incentive trip there in 2006. Considering China's trifecta above, it is no surprise that our respondents have indicated that China's potential for growth for their business in 2006 (48.13 per cent) outstrips the combined potentials of all other destinations across Asia Pacific. Price increase Encouragingly, a healthy 47 per cent of our corporate buyers expect supplier prices to increase by less than five per cent in 2006. Apessimistic 28 per cent expect the price increase to go as high as ten per cent while an optimistic 11.8 per cent don't think prices will change at all. Some 20.3 per cent of corporate buyers have indicated that their budgets may increase by up to five per cent this year although 43.3 per cent are certain it will stay exactly the same as 2005, which was between the US$50,000-$100,000 range. On a positive note for suppliers, 56 per cent of corporate buyers say their company will outsource some events during 2006.