Planning your conference

The right choice

There are a thousand factors at work in determining the right venue or destination for a conference.

It’s the one decision you cannot afford to get wrong. Just because your sister had a wonderful wedding in that hotel ballroom, it doesn’t necessarily mean it would be perfect for your next business event. While good experiences are useful first references, there are many questions you need to first ask yourself and the venue.

A site inspection is always advised when making a decision on a venue that you haven’t previously used.

It is important to check the facilities and guestrooms for wear and tear. Most venues have ongoing refurbishment programs but it doesn’t hurt to see for yourself. Hotel and resort operators who are worth their salt will be happy to give you contact details of clients who might have held similar events as yours at their property.

What are the communication objectives of the meeting? Consider why you want to bring these people together. Is it to be strictly a learning situation or do you wish to develop team spirit in the target group?

IMPORTANT FACTORS

In the case of executive retreats, strategy and sales planning, it is often preferable to choose a country property, as a break from the bustle of the city and all the distractions of the office will pay dividends. The meeting represents an investment in the time and energy of your people and it’s important the venue maximises that. You are also likely to have more inclusions than those offered by a big city hotel and less cost on items such as parking. The length of the meeting also impacts on the decision for site selection. How long will your delegates be travelling to reach the destination? Consider the profile of the audience – age, gender balance and whether partners are attending.

POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A HOST SITE:

• Have you or your organisation ever used this site before? What was delegate reaction like to the choice on that occasion? Has any additional infrastructure – such as new hotels, transport routes, airports and tourist attractions – been constructed since then?
• Is the site easy to get to for most of your participants? If transport costs are too high or travel schedules too cumbersome because of an inaccessible site, the success of the event may be jeopardised.
• Does your host site area offer plenty of possibilities for interesting and affordable pre and post-meeting tours and conference excursions?
• What will the climate be like at the time of year you are planning to hold the event? Beware of monsoon season in many parts of South-East Asia and Northern Australia. Check that there’s always a wet-weather alternative if you’re planning an outdoor event.
• Will the site offer enough suitable accommodation and meeting space for your group during the period of your meeting?
• It is worth remembering that no region is completely perfect and that you will never please every single attendee with your choice of site. Your job is to find the most suitable locale given the restraints of budget, time and group travel, and after giving due consideration to the points mentioned here.

REGARDING A POTENTIAL VENUE’S CAPACITY, YOU WILL NEED TO ENSURE THE FOLLOWING:

• Does it have enough meeting rooms for your group? Are these rooms all located in one floor, or scattered throughout the building? What facilities do they offer for audiovisual and computer-based technologies, such as ISDN lines and computer-terminal connections? For international groups, is simultaneous translation equipment available or installable on request?
• Does the venue offer experienced conference personnel on staff? Is the staff always accessible and competent? If possible, find out the names of key in-house conference personnel and ask trusted colleagues if they are familiar with these people and their performance.
• Are there suitable facilities for luncheon breaks, morning/afternoon tea sessions?
• Is there adequate and suitably located space for registration and information desk facilities? Can you print up name badges on site for late arrivals?
• Does the venue offer secretarial services?
• Can meeting rooms be easily divided into smaller, workshop areas if required?
• Can the venue accommodate your big-ticket events, such as the opening reception and farewell dinner?
• Does the venue offer enough suites for VIP guests?
• Will it offer hospitality suites?
• What is the venue’s policy on discounts for block bookings or seasonal hotel occupancy? What is its policy on deposits and cancellations?

REGARDING LOCATION, YOU WILL NEED TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

• Is the property well located in terms of transport links, scenic attractions and delegate safety?
• Is it within easy travelling distance of the airport?
• Does the venue offer a regular shuttle service for guests?
• If you are planning to hold sessions in another convention facility, is the accommodation venue located close by?
• Does the banquet services co-ordinator have accreditation from the MIAA (Meetings Industry Association of Australia)?

Not all these factors will necessarily apply to every meeting you’re responsible for, but it’s worth having a check list.

The Dawsons website has the most comprehensive Australian listings for conference and meeting venues and rooms. If you are looking for Sydney conference venues or Melbourne conference venues or even a conference venue in Brisbane there is no better resource.