Conference Venues: Five Tips To Finding The Perfect Conference Facilities


by Iain Black - Date: 2010-09-07 - Word Count: 432 Share This!

If you're organizing a conference, tracking down a suitable venue is crucial. While cost is an important consideration, there are a number of other factors which, when taken into account, can contribute to an event's success. Bearing in mind the following areas should help you to find your ideal conference venue.

Size and Seating A good starting point is to consider the number of delegates attending, and ensure that your chosen conference venue can comfortably accommodate that number. Another important factor is the seating layout. How do you envisage the room being laid out? Many conference facilities offer a choice of rooms with various seating plans, from large theatre-style layouts ideal for larger presentations, down to small boardroom-table plans for meeting-style conferences. Consider which layout would work best for you.

Venue Appearance Make sure your delegates get a good first impression on arrival. With a little research, you can find an impressive-looking conference venue at a very reasonable price. If you're able to visit a venue beforehand, take a look around and get a feel for its appearance and facilities. Alternatively, the venue website may offer a photo gallery or even a virtual tour.

Accommodation If your event covers several days, or if you're expecting delegates to travel a great distance, consider offering accommodation for their overnight stay. Find out whether the venue can provide this, as keeping everything together will give the conference a well-organised feel. Don't think that this ties you exclusively to hotels, however; Numerous conference venues now offer accommodation, to be sure to look into this.

Location Are you expecting delegates to travel from a wide variety of locations, or are they based in the same area? Bear this in mind when looking at conference venues. Also take into account how you expect delegates to arrive; If the majority will be travelling by car, is there sufficient parking (and, if so, does the venue charge an additional fee)? Alternatively, are there good links with public transport?

Facilities What will your conference need in terms of equipment and services? Look through the running order of the conference and make a note of everything that would either be essential or helpful. You may require a projector and screen for PowerPoint presentations, for example. If the conference is welcoming a large number of delegates, a microphone and sound system could be required (some venues offer roaming microphones - Useful if a speaker likes to move around). Don't forget the facilities which will enhance delegates' experience of the conference too; Air conditioning, broadband access and natural light are just three things which can make all the difference.

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