Chic Choices

Creative event organizers are constantly on the prowl for cool venues for that maximum buzz

- Lark Gould

When it comes to meetings, the where is as important as the what. No matter if it’s a meeting of healthcare professionals or Midwestern meat distributors, it takes serious investment and planning by those creating the event, plus time and money for attendees to attend. It has to be worth it for all involved and that involves a small but critical factor: The Wow.

Recent trends in meetings show these gatherings need to be purposeful, pliable and push the envelope. Attendees will expect pizazz, whether that comes from the destination itself, the venues were chosen for events, or entertainment at the events; and they will expect elements of personalization – choices for activities, choices for comforts and technology they can customize, according to event management solutions provider Aventri, formerly eTouches.

ATTENDEES ARE CONSUMERS

According to a study of nearly 9,000 meeting participants in the second Decision to Attend Study from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, 78 percent of respondents said destination was the most important factor in deciding whether to attend a meeting, second only to education (92 percent). Networking opportunities came in third at 76 percent.

Since the destination is the number two driver for meetings attendance – and with all the world as the stage – meetings of all kinds can boost their “wow” factor with just a little digging and out-of-the-box thinking.