The Convention Bureau of Katowice released another edition of the report „Business tourism market in Katowice”. As in the previous years, findings were based on primary researches including a survey conducted amongst conferences participants. Conclusions are mostly very similar to those which had been published in the last year’s report.
The 2013 research covered conference meetings from 24 facilities in Katowice (8 hotels, 2 office buildings with conference rooms, 14 public institutions including universities, offices, cultural facilities).
The total number of conference meetings held in 2013 in these facilities in Katowice amounted to 6 033 (6 117 in 2012) of which 1 013 lasted two days or more.
The number of participants in the above conference meetings held last year was estimated at 512 805 (on the assumption that the average number of participants was 85). In 2012, the number reached the level of 520 000.
Studying the research carried out in the recent years on the market of conference meetings and business events in Katowice one can observe that the majority of conference meetings are organized in the spring (April, May) and autumn (September, October) and the average duration time of a conference meeting is estimated at 1,5 days.
For the purpose of the research on conference participants in Katowice, a survey-based method was chosen, with a questionnaire as a research tool, accompanied with a covering letter explaining the importance of the research. Surveys were conducted from 15th to 29th of November 2013 with 222 participants in six conference meetings.
One third of the surveyed conference participants in Katowice came from the Silesia voivodeship (34,7%), which proves that there is still a strong internal demand for conference meetings in this region, however the number is much lower than in 2012 when more than half of the partakers were from the region (56%). The second largest group came from the Mazovia voivodeship (13,1%), the third from Dolnośląskie (8,1%) and the fourth from Małopolska (7,2%). Every fourth delegate participating in the survey (26,1%) had overnight accommodation during his/her stay (24% in 2012).
In 2013 the average expenses incurred by a conference participant held in Katowice amounted to PLN 197,41 (PLN 234.2 in 2012), with delegates staying overnight having spent on average PLN 579,2 (PLN 445,8 in 2012), of which PLN 282,8 was for accommodation (PLN 263,6 in 2012), i.e. 48,8% of total expenses incurred in Katowice, and PLN 139,6 in the case of delegates who did not use accommodation services (PLN 133,3 in 2012).
Among the most important reasons behind participation mentioned by them are: acquisition of knowledge and establishment of new contacts, low costs of participation, convenient distance from place of residence.
Conclusions say that the City should continue investments aimed at improving the communication infrastructure, taking into account the needs of those who come to Katowice to take part in conference meetings, in particular increasing the number of parking spaces, the range of information about investments being carried out in the City and enriching the offer of cultural and entertainment events. It seems that more information on other business and cultural events in Katowice could encourage conference participants to use services other than those offered in the facility even more actively.
90% of delegates declared that they would come to the same facility again and 87% respondents would return to Katowice to take part in a conference meeting again.
The research was conducted by PhD Krzysztof Cieślikowski, an analyst of the business tourism market and academic teacher.