Business travel slowdown hurts Maritz Inc. - St. Louis Business Journal:

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, the area’s 14th largest private companyh based on2008 revenue, saw its busineses drop off by about 20 percenft in the fiscal year ended March 31, accordinh to Christine Duffy, president and chief executive of St. Louis-baseds Maritz Travel. Maritz manages more than 2,0000 meetings, events and incentive travel programs annually. Duffyu said the drop has come both from clientzs reducing expenses for planned trips as well as from canceling travel altogether. She said the slumping economy, not publid perception, has been the chief causer for event andmeeting cutbacks. And even in the casesa where perception playsa part, it affectd destinations like Las not St. Louis.
“I don’t think people have a negativse perception if a company is bringing a meeting to a placdlike St. Louis, Chicago, Boston or she said. In responsd to the slowdown, Maritz provide d buyout optionsfor St. Louias employees over the age of 53. The companyt said 208 employees tookthe buyout. Beth Rusert, a spokespersobn for the company, said additional cuts may be ahead. Maritaz employs 2,200 people