Execs would rather go virtual than to Houston, study says

[lockmat]

This is a little old, but I don't remember seeing it posted:

You see,

ON24, a Webcasting and virtual events company decided--no doubt in its own self-interest--to discover which cities business executives would most prefer to avoid for a trade show or conference.

Houston was chosen by almost half the executives surveyed. In a very lowly second came Los Angeles, selected by 41.7 percent of respondents. (All the respondents attended

VUE 2011, the world's largest virtual events user conference.)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57341681-71/execs-would-rather-go-virtual-than-to-houston-study-says/

If LA is number two, I don't really feel so bad.

[Simbha]

I really have no idea what to make of this. The ON24 study's top-5 list is as follows:

- Houston (49.3%)

- LA (41.7%)

- Orlando (37.5%)

- Miami (33.8%)

- Chicago (27.8%)

What is it (if anything) that is common among these cities? The only thing I can tell is that - other than Houston - they're all top travel destinations. Maybe business exec's are too afraid that if they come to Houston, they won't get anything done, because of our wonderful museum and theater districts and restaurant selection (along with our strip clubs). I haven't the slightest clue...

Edit: Here's the actual report from ON24: http://www.on24.com/press_releases/on24-survey-92-of-executives-fed-up-with-business-travel/

[barracuda]

Maybe it's because a lot of the executives live in Houston, what with the city having the second-highest number of Fortune 500 companies in the country. Perhaps some of them don't feel comfortable flirting with booth babes and making drunken strip club visits so close to home and family. I don't see Vegas on that list...

[VelvetJ]

Maybe it's as simple as despite the perceptions of Houstonians and residents of East Texas, Houston is just not a exciting place to visit. Maybe Houstonians still have yet to realize that Parks, museums, the zoo, resotaurants, a professional sporting event, a big mall, the symphony, and chicken and waffles, are NOT unique experiences to Houston. In general terms, even our "unique" and proudly touted 'beer can house' and 'orange show', are really nothing to write home about; or not worth the effort it takes to even visit IMO.

All sorts of theories can be posted as to why so many chose Houston in this particular survey, however I don't believe it's that complicated. I actually do understand the choosing of Los Angeles, Orlando, and a few of the others but I think they were chosen for different reasons than that of Houston.