June 22, 2020

Results of Nationwide Association Survey on Event Cancellations caused by COVID-19.

Association Executive attendees of the Presidential Forum Symposium on June 17, 2020 were the first to receive the final results of a groundbreaking nationwide Association survey conducted by ORI, Inc. entitled COVID-19 Association Event Cancellation Survey.

The report examines how associations are navigating the repercussions of cancelling or rescheduling conferences amid the pandemic. As a bonus, the ORI report also included the results of a recent survey taking the pulse of how the crisis is affecting associations more broadly—at the organization and individual levels—to provide additional valuable insights. Follow the link below to access the final report.

AI-driven insights. ORI analyzed the stories that association leaders shared using leading-edge AI-powered text analytics technology to detect the recurring themes, sentiment, and emotion expressed in their comments. This crisis is affecting us all in different ways, so we felt it was critical to examine your association peers’ personal experiences—in their own words.

High-value insights. Check out the full report to explore the top findings and themes, including:

  • 42% of respondents cancelled 1 – 3 events, while 22% cancelled 10+ events
  • 49% of respondents commented on their experiences moving from in-person to virtual/hybrid events
  • The importance of building strong relationships and working together to find alternative solutions emerged as a top theme—particularly in relation to working with venues, conference centers, and hotels
  • Many respondents encountered difficulties around insurance not covering pandemics, negotiating cancellation conditions, and needing to invoke the Force Majeure Clause
  • Reimagining what future events will look like, revenue loss, and a reduction in retention dominated the anticipated long-term effects of event cancellation

As the repercussions of COVID-19 continue to be felt across organizations around the globe, the ORI, U.S. Transactions Corp., and Aronson teams hope that this report will help you gain a better understanding of how the crisis is affecting your peers—and inspire you with innovative ideas for pivoting and adapting during these trying times.

For more information contact:
Kathleen M. Benson
CEO & Co-Founder
ORI
571.257.3205
KathyB@ORIresults.com
www.ORIresults.com

Wade Tetsuka
President
U.S. Transactions Corp.
866.442.3327
wadetetsuka@ustranscorp.com
www.ustranscorp.com

Greg Plotts, Partner
Rob Eby, Partner
Aronson LLC
301.231.6226 or 301.231.6291
GPlotts@aronsonllc.com
Reby@aronsonllc.com