More than 4,000 association executives from across the country are expected at the Washington Convention Center today for the American Society of Association Executive’s Springtime Expo, the association world’s annual trade show.
Also on hand will be about 800 exhibitors from the hospitality and convention industry hoping to connect with meeting planners looking to secure conference locations for their associations. The conference also includes a series of educational seminars for meeting planners that cover topics such as how to market a conference to association members.
“It’s a one-stop shop for meeting planners and association executives to do a year’s worth of business in one day,” said Ron McNally, ASAE’s vice president of marketing and member services.
The majority of associations hold an annual meeting, McNally said, and finding a location becomes more and more competitive each year.
“You have to book three, four, five years in advance,” he said. The conference gives association executives the chance to meet and network face to face with convention professionals. The conference, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, has always been held in the District because there are more associations in the Washington region than anywhere else in the U.S. There are about 2,300 associations in the Greater Washington area, according to ASAE’s membership figures.
With about 4,500 attendees, ASAE’s meeting is considered a small convention, said Victoria Isley, a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C. Convention & Tourism Corp.
“But it attracts so many meeting planners into the city and into the convention center to sample the building space and services,” she said. “It’s a good showcase for Washington.”
This year, ASAE extended the conference invitation from beyond association executives to corporate and government meeting planners, who also plan large meetings each year.
Local presence
» The American Society of Association Executives represents about 8,000 associations. Roughly 35 percent of those are in the Washington region.
» The average business traveler to Washington — which includes conference attendees — spent about $632 per trip in 2004.
