Rotation
A smart organization will rotate its annual convention across the map. This strategy not only allows you to meet in all regions where your membership is located, but also benefits membership growth and recruitment, as well as keeping the meeting fresh in terms of weather, attractions, time zones, and cost of attendance.
Member login
Ask your members, both those who attend actively and those who do not attend often, where they would like the convention to take place. They may draw your attention to destinations that you have not considered. However, be sure to give more weight to sites recommended by actively attending members, as their attendance is the foundation of your meeting’s success.
First level vs. Second level vs. Third level
While many organizations will always meet in first-tier destinations, many others should take a closer look at second- and third-tier cities, where they can enjoy being the big fish in the pond and receive extra attention. There are a plethora of smaller, larger destinations with world-class convention facilities that might be better suited to your organization. However, if your group has a history of maximizing attendance and revenue while meeting in top-tier markets, you should probably stay where you can sustain or continue this growth.
Raise
If you anticipate an attendance of 10,000, you probably don’t want to select a meeting place whose airport cannot handle the large number of daily arrivals and departures your group will need. Simply put, if people can’t get there, you’re in trouble. Make sure you get information on the total number of daily nonstop flights, seats, and shuttle cities before finalizing a destination with a questionable elevator. Also, be careful in cities where a carrier dominates the elevator; some of these cities can be very expensive to fly.
Weather
Do your delegates expect warm weather? Is high humidity a problem? How about rain or snow? Don’t make the mistake of meeting at the wrong destination at the wrong time of year. Find out the average daily high and low temperatures for each of the cities you are considering. Also get the average number of days with 0.01 “or more of rain in the month you are thinking about. This information is available in 40-year averages and is collected by most airport authorities. If outdoor activities are not in the agenda However, then the climate becomes a less decisive factor.
Competence
Too often organizations wear pink glasses and assume that their meeting is the only one of its kind that their members will be interested in attending. But that is not always the case. If there are organizations in a field similar to yours, or you just have several true competitors, take the time to check when and where your meetings are scheduled. Sometimes delegates and exhibitors have to draw the line for how many meetings they can afford or take the time to attend in a given year. And if your convention conflicts by date or location with a competing convention, you run the unnecessary risk of losing your attendees and exhibitors to another event.
Keep options open
Generally, your chances of orchestrating a successful site selection can be substantially improved by creating competition in the marketplace. Whenever possible, strive to find two or three facilities or destinations that you are willing to contract with and that want your business. (Groups often make the mistake of deciding on a particular facility or destination and then trying to negotiate.) It’s also very important to show flexibility in your room and date block pattern whenever possible.
As you can see, selecting a meeting place is not as simple as throwing a dart at a map. But it can be an educational and enjoyable experience. By doing your homework, you will put yourself in the best position to select the destination that will help you get a record of attendance, income, and reviews.