The speakers (Alex Hewitt, AOK Events; Judi Oliver, Sodexo Prestige; Giles Toosey, IMG Events and Hospitality; and Andrew Hodgkins, Keith Prowse) agreed that the sector has been hit badly, claiming recovery won't show until the next four years.
"The credit crunch has affected revenue pretty dramatically," said Toosey. "We have to be flexible on price."
AOK's Hewitt added: "It's about bums on seats at the end of the day, but there's never been a better time for buying packages. It's a buyers market.
"Bankers are getting their corporate hospitality packages rejected, but paying themselves because it's of value to their own pay packets."
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