Inspiration Hub

A handful of big cities – Orlando, Las Vegas, Toronto, London, Barcelona, Berlin, Singapore, and Rio de Janeiro – continue to dominate the global meetings market. But as costs rise and availability falls, meetings organizers are increasingly moving their events to alternative cities.

The meetings industry is stronger than ever, but the rise in activity brings new challenges. In many cities, it is becoming more difficult to find appropriate space for large-scale conferences. Space is just not available like it was years ago, and if you’re not working nine to 12 months in advance, your options could be limited.

The new year is looking brighter. Big event venues such as Mandalay Bay and Palm Springs convention centers have upgraded to green-energy sources, a change that will benefit not just the environment but business, too. According to this year’s SITE report, sustainability and green initiatives have become very important. Ninety-four percent of corporate clients said a top trend that’s having a positive impact on incentive travel is programs that show they are trying to do something positive. This trend is so important the IMEX Group, along with the Event Industry Council (EIC), are calling attention to it with the coveted Innovation in Sustainability Award.

You know better than anyone: managing events is stressful. With so many moving parts, it might seem tough (or even impossible) to prepare for an event that’s a year away. Luckily, there are tricks to make your preparation effective (and achievable) as the event gets closer. Here are 5 ways you can prepare for your event — a year early.

Of the countless decisions event creators make each day, choosing the right vendors to work with is one of the most important. With so many choices regarding event logistics – and the knowledge that all it takes is one subpar vendor to create a bad experience for your attendees – your work is cut out for you.

Beautiful facilities, exceptional food and superior service probably come to mind when you think about what makes a great conference or meeting venue. These may seem like obvious considerations on a list of elements that leading venues have in common. Yet, there are other pragmatic concerns that determine which venues are the most successful and perhaps the most profitable.

When it comes to choosing show-stopping event vendors and suppliers, it can be difficult to know where to start. But it doesn’t have to be. Finding the right event vendor—like finding the right event sponsor—can be the difference between event success or failure. If a vendor makes a mistake, it can reflect poorly on you in the minds of your attendees. In brief, the stakes are high.

At EventMB we are all about rewarding innovation in the event industry. This is why we are introducing a new tool to select venues and destinations for your event.

There are few things that annoy me more than boring venues. We have all been to – and no doubt hosted – events in boring venues. You know the ones; dark, dreary and devoid of atmosphere. But things are changing. It’s no surprise that an increasing number of event planners are looking to take their events to “unique venues”.

Of the top ten clubs in the world… only two have official Spotify accounts. That’s surprising, given that the music streaming giant has over 60 million subscribers and 140 million active users. If you want to define the feel of your venue, create shareable content, and reach highly engaged music lovers, why wouldn’t you start where fans expect to discover their next favorite artist?

From sourcing the right venue to choosing the best mobile event app to the speaker to the connections built - of the many different things that event professionals are tasked with, what exactly makes great events, great? 

Meeting planners surveyed for STR’s DestinationMAP said it was a dead heat between the Windy City and "The Theme Park Capital of the World" when it came to their top choice for North American meeting destinations, with 67 percent each voting for Chicago and Orlando. Washington, D.C., was a close third at 66 percent, followed by San Diego and Las Vegas. 

Meetings are to exhibitions as cheeses are to wines: complementary stimuli that enhance the participant experience. With countless exhibitions incorporating education and entertainment as part of the proceedings, exhibition organizers must also consider meeting venues as auxiliary spaces in which to hold supporting events. 

From the outside, the barrel room at the Gallo of Sonoma winery looks like an enormous bunker. Inside, it’s expansive, dim, and cool, with thousands of barrels of wine extending into the middle distance. About three years ago, I walked into the space as part of a corporate group and took a seat at the edge of the room, at a table topped with unlabeled bottles of red wine. Winery staff members led us through a tasting of each varietal — from zinfandel to cabernet sauvignon — before encouraging us to mix our own blends, which soon had us jibing and laughing. Eventually, these bottles were corked and labeled, so we could take them home.

The story surrounding the Fyre Festival shined a light on the growth of the festival space, its influence and how marketers should approach a partnership.

Identifying the factors that determine what makes the right venue is one of the most important tasks for every event professional. As the number of potential attendees increases, the type of the event and the location are all significant issues to factor in, so the choice of your event venue should be first and foremost aligned with the goals you want to achieve.

Our recent survey of more than 180 meeting planners from around the world for the IACC Meeting Room of the Future  report delivered many interesting insights. We heard from people who are new to event planning as well as long-timers, and many provided candid comments.  Some of their remarks were anticipated, but some certainly surprised us. So what do meeting planners say venues need to do to appeal to the changing nature of today’s meetings? Here are ten of my insights into the most essential elements of sought-out venues.

When you’re planning an event, where you host it is a big consideration. From the time you start exploring your venue options, to the time you complete a site visit, there’s a lot to think about to ensure your venue is supporting an excellent delegate and event experience. As you consider your venue options, take time to connect with the venue’s team. Think about what it takes to create a great delegate experience, and ask your venue how they can help you build that solution. Ask tough questions, ensure they’re ready to sweat the details, and challenge them to demonstrate why their venue is the right fit for your event.

Conference organizers must think like designers. Then they can design, create and plan learning spaces that foster participants' learning experiences.

How do you impress destination-marketing executives with a takeaway that speaks to a destination?

Looking for a Room with a View? Historic Homes Make Memorable Event Venues. America’s Gilded Age estates can host your board meetings, product launches, and parties.

Don't host another boring corporate event. To attract attendees and set apart your company's brand, you need a memorable corporate event theme.