What challenges do event planners face this year?

Last year was a great year for the meetings and events sector, with numerous new innovations emerging and an increase in events professionals joining the industry.

2017 so far continues to be one of growth, technological advances and creative event-planning solutions.  So what will event planners have to work that bit harder to manage? We take a look...

Everything Under One Roof

In the past 12 months, there has been an increase in venues offering 'shared events' to allow event planners to provide high capacity events, whilst keeping costs to a minimum. 

Budget-friendly though these options may be, many events professionals then struggle to cater for their delegates when it comes to somewhere to stay the night, and enjoy a little leisure time.

Having on-site ameneties such as bedrooms and leisure facilities such as spas and health clubs means that hotels can more effectively cater for all tastes and requirements of the business traveller.  Budget-savvy event planners will need to carefully consider the value of on-site facilities over making a cost saving.

Increasing Catering Costs

We continue to see an increase in requests for special dietary options such as gluten-free, vegan and low carb foods, across our hotel and conference venues. These speciality options do cost a little more to prepare.  This will have an impact on the budget for event planners hoping to keep a close eye on the outgoings. As a workaround, we'd recommend choosing options such as superfood salads or soups over gluten-free versions of classic dishes. These options can be enjoyed by all without forking out for specialist preparation. If you do require gluten-free or low-carb alternatives, our events team will be more than happy to discuss the delicious menus we have available.

Getting Guests Through The Door

Due to the evolution in meeting technology, delegates no longer need to attend an event in person to reap all the benefits from the day. Live video streaming, webinars and remote access allow guests to attend virtually, and interact as they would in person.  The challenge for event planners lies in getting the attendance numbers confirmed before the event, as a virtual attendee is often more likely to no-show.  A low in-person attendance rate can also have a huge impact on the success of the day from an interaction, networking and teambuilding point of view. We'd recommend inviting your guests to attend in person, then offering a follow-up video or app that can be used after the event for further information and recaps on the day.

Choices, choices...

They say that great ideas are often created in innovative surroundings. And thanks to the increase in unusual and unique event spaces, event planners now have plenty of choice when considering the perfect location for their event.   Though, planners should be careful to consider their audience’s needs to avoid a ‘style over substance’ approach. A remote barn in the countryside will look great on the company’s training brochure, though the fun stops when 200 delegates are unable to access the WiFi or have to hike a mile down the road to get to their hotel.  Venues offering essential amenities such as bedrooms, dining and leisure facilities are preferred quirkier spaces, simply because they meet the needs of your delegates. Put yourself in their shoes, then choose wisely!