Both in-house and independent special event professionals see a brighter picture for events in 2010, according to the latest survey from Special Events. Penton Media collected responses last month.

Overall, 41 percent of respondents say they expect to stage more events in 2010 than they did this year. Thirty percent say they will stage the same amount, and 16 percent say they expect to stage fewer events next year than this year. Fourteen percent say they are unsure what the new year will bring.

INDEPENDENTS MORE OPTIMISTIC

Independents are the more optimistic, with 48 percent saying they expect to produce more events in 2010. Seventeen percent say their event load will be the same next year as this, with 16 percent saying they expect to stage fewer events. Nineteen percent are unsure what to expect.

Thirty-three percent of in-house event pros say they expect to stage more events in 2010 than they have in 2009. Forty-six percent expect to stage the same number, and 16 percent say they expect to stage fewer events next year. This is a marked drop from the forecast last year, when fully 26 percent of in-house event pros said they expected to stage fewer events in 2009. Six percent are unsure what to expect.

Both in-house and independent event pros list "reduced budgets to work with" as their No. 1 challenge in 2010.

For the full story, see the January-February issue of Special Events; this issue will also feature the annual Party Rental Forecast.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

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