In the meantime plans to market ABPCO were set in train, a recruitment drive was implemented and in March 1983 the first bank account was opened with members paying a subscription of £25 every six months to cover the inevitable expenses that were building up. Other costs, such as printing the first brochure, continued to be divided between the members as and when required.
Working parties were set up to explore ideas on publishing guidelines for the benefit of those wishing to enter the conference industry, prospective clients and managers of venues. These included:
The working parties also produced, among others, reports on:
Members continued to meet four to five times a year, including the AGM, and a popular item on the Agenda was Information Exchange at the end of each meeting. Members who had had good or bad experiences with suppliers had the opportunity to express their views. A recurring topic was hotel standards!