So you have been put in charge of planning and executing an annual
conference for your company. Whether your company is the sole sponsor of
the event, or you are working in conjunction with others in your field,
you may end up seeing to the needs of conferees coming from all corners
of the US or even the world. It is not uncommon for companies and
organizations to hold such events in large or medium-sized cities, even
if the destination is unrelated to your company's headquarters. You may
think it's easier to plan an event where you are, but is that always the
right decision?When thinking about hosting a conference which several
hundred people may attend, it's important to evaluate possible
destination to determine if there are enough resources to accommodate
everybody's needs. If your headquarters are based in a small town with
few hotels, chances are slim that you will be able to accomplish what you
need to do if supplies are short. Larger cities, on the other hand, offer
many advantages to the event planner.1) Hotels and conference space. This
is perhaps the most important component to hosting a successful
conference. You need rooms for visitors, and you need ample meeting space
to fit conferees. If you hold your meetings within the hotel (a strong
recommendation, as many conferees will likely not have access to
transportation), you want to deal with a hotel equipped to handle your
needs. This means providing AV equipment, catering, and troubleshooting
the needs of conferees.2) Central location. Some cities are better
inclined to use as venues. A major airport hub like Chicago, Atlanta, or
New York allows conferees to fly directly to the destination, and public
transit allows people to move easily through town. This helps eliminate
the need for arranging transportation for many people.3) Leisure
activities. Of course, you need to get down to business when you have
everybody gathered in one place, but that doesn't mean you can't blow off
some steam. Choosing a destination with many entertainment options for
conferees provides opportunity for people to enjoy themselves as they
come to the conference.There is no reason, either, to feel intimidated by
preparing a conference in a city outside your own, even one you have not
before visited. As you plan your event, you will make trips to the venue
to familiarize yourself with the area. As you find companies willing to
accommodate you, you may find you can pull off a great conference without
a hitch.