Patricia Beaudoux
Patricia Beaudoux is director of international sales at The Sands Corporation in San Francisco.
Planning a global meeting can feel a bit daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Industry and meeting experts put together this checklist to consider before you host an event abroad.
Moving your meeting to a new destination, especially a new country, has the potential to be stressful and challenging.
Planners need to consider a seemingly endless list of variables, including the location’s appeal, venue suitability, local culture, accommodation availability, security (including real and perceived threats), financial issues, and local and community participation. It’s also important that the destination fits with the objectives of the organization.
Here are meeting experts’ top considerations and questions to keep in mind when weighing where to go.
Country and city accessibility. The first hurdle you must clear in choosing the right destination is asking: How accessible is the location? Ask:
Ease of doing business. Next, find out if it’s realistic to do business in the countries and cities that are being considered. Ask:
Consider both the city and hotel infrastructure in potential host cities. You can easily rule out destinations with venues that don’t have the necessary amount of space for your association.
City and hotel infrastructure. Consider both the city and hotel infrastructure in potential host cities. You can easily rule out destinations with venues that don’t have the necessary amount of space for your association. That should leave you with a list of viable locations. Also, consider forgoing peak visitor times in favor of season shoulder times, when hotels might offer lower room rates. And consider selecting destinations that have global hotel brands, making it easier for you to build trust among your attendees. Ask:
Carbon footprint. Some groups want to do business with, or may even require, environmentally conscious cities and venues. Consider what cities and venues are doing to be “green.” Understand what’s important to your group and narrow your destinations. Ask:
Legislation, regulation, and support. Know the rules and regulations that might be relevant to your association community. Ask:
Security and safety. Although no destination can guarantee an event without incident, your meeting participants need to know that you considered safety and security first. Ask:
Meetings and events maturity. Strength and versatility of the meetings and events community will affect the operation of your event. Ask:
Local attractions and activities. Finally, attendees will want to know more about the destination and things to do outside the conference hall. If they travel far or are not familiar with the destination, attendees may want to stay longer to experience local attractions and culture too. Ask:
Finally, make sure you put all your meeting requirements in writing. Meeting and logistics ambiguity is disastrous for any contract agreement. Clearly spell out the meaning or definition of a service—otherwise, the show organizer may end up with abrupt surprises. And remember to always be respectful of local culture. Before I travel overseas, I always consult Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands to understand business environment, social norms, and etiquette.