What’s the best business venue for your conference?

Large or small? Purpose built or hotel? City-centre or rural? – These are all things you’ll need to decide when choosing a business venue for your conference.

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Suddenly, the task can appear to be a daunting one and with so much to choose from you can feel as though you’re more likely to get it wrong than right.

Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to help you decide where to host your event.

Know your options

It’s hard to make an informed choice about where to host your conference if you’re not entirely sure what’s available to you.

Ultimately, you need to decide between the big four:-

Conference centres – these are built specifically to host conferences and are ideal for small or medium-sized events. They generally come with tech-equipment and other facilities on site.

Convention centres – these are large and designed for corporate or industry functions.

Retreats – Generally in the countryside, these venues offer other activities and on-site leisure facilities alongside conference rooms.

Hotels – These often have well-equipped event areas, with on-site accommodation. Ideal when out-of-town travel is required, you may even be able to choose from an array of seating capacities.

Best of both worlds – You can sometimes find a venue that offers a little bit of everything, enabling you to design a bespoke package that suits your needs (For great conference facilities click here).

Think about your requirements

It will be hard to pick a venue that’s right for you if you don’t know what your requirements are. To narrow it down, you’ll need to ask yourself a few important questions.

What’s the head count? – The most important thing about a conference venue is that it fits everyone in comfortably. You might feel like Goldilocks, but hold out for one that’s just right, accommodating guests and any activities that might be taking place. However, you need to remember that if a venue is too big it will have a negative effect on attendants, so be realistic.

Is there onsite technology? – Bringing your own devices to a conference is a hassle and potentially a cost you can do without. Consequently, you’re likely to need a venue that offers onsite technology as part of the package.

How long will we be there for? – If your conference is being run over a period of days you’ll need somewhere that has on-site accommodation and facilities such as restaurants and bars.

Where are attendees coming from? – If your guests are coming from far and wide you’ll need somewhere that is central and easily accessible. Similarly, your venue will need to have ample free parking and links to public transport so people can reach the site if it isn’t in walking distance.

What experience do I want to give guests?  – If you want attendees to leave your conference full of knowledge and relaxed, you’ll probably want a site that’s tranquil and offers leisure facilities, such as a spa. You also don’t want guests to be cut off from the outside world and unable to work, so free Wi-Fi is essential.

 

What’s the best business venue for your conference?
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