One of the most important things to realise when planning a meeting is: we are living in the 21st century. So plan your meeting in a 21st century venue! Nowadays we’re all depending on technology. You can resist it, or just deal with it! Go with the flow. Furthermore, the trend of holding a green meeting is here to stay. We all care about keeping our planet clean. Read our top 5 of Meeting Trends so your event won’t be old fashioned.
1. Luxury is back!
We’ve tries, but cheap and simple just isn’t hip anymore. Luxury is finding its way back into events and meeting. According to conworld.net ‘Luxury resorts are no longer a pariah’.’. We are craving more luxury in our conferences, and like to be pampered after our meetings. Read more trends on conworld.net: http://ow.ly/9Hjme
2. Mobile technology
Technology is a fast moving field, so remember to stay up to date. Wake up! It’s 2012. An app or mobile website for your conference is an absolute plus, and allows you to keep participants updated on everything that’s going on during the conference. And last but not least: the latest news arrives on the participant’s mobile in real time. More tech trends in meeting planning? Read this blog: http://ow.ly/9HiuB
3. Involve all departments you need to work within your team
A lot of processes are much entangled when planning a meeting. It’s a trend right now to involve important departments in the planning process by adding key players to your team. The process will run smoother because of it. Involving more people has been made much easier of course with current technologies. In cooperation with your buying department for instance, it’s much easier to reach local suppliers through the internet. This trend was spotted by Alise Long, a Dutch CMM manager. http://ow.ly/9HjhZ
4. More demand for meetings with hotels
Hotels can take their pick! Hotels are more and more deciding which meeting planner they want to work with, instead of vice versa. More demand means more bookings, and hotels are definitely seeing a positive trend. This ends the possibility to book 30 days in advance for peanuts. Tip form us: maintain your contacts and network; you never know when you’ll need them.
5. Taking the whole package
Arranging everything separately is over. More and more we’re embracing the idea to book a complete arrangement for our participants. Tip! Take a look at what the convention bureaus have to offer. We have excellent bureaus that can plan your whole meeting with you. Read more about the Dutch regional convention bureaus: http://ow.ly/9HkVx
*Sources:
Conworld.net: http://ow.ly/9Hjme
Corbinball.com: http://ow.ly/9HiuB
Travelmarketreport.com: http://ow.ly/9HjhZ
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