Chapter 4. MICE events: planning

On completion of this chapter students should:

- describe the process involved in organizing of a venue

The business travel industry is based upon events of different kinds (including conventions and congresses, meetings, seminars, product launches, management retreats, exhibitions, fairs etc.) and of different sizes and durations, requiring sophisticated planning and administration to ensure their success. Events are organized by people with varying degrees of knowledge and experience, many finding themselves responsible for organizing a venue without much, if any, formal training.

Summarizing the main processes involved in planning and staging an event in particular it necessary to look at:

a general introduction to conference organizing

- pre-conference planning and research

- budgeting and financial management

- sourcing and selecting a venue

- negotiating with venues

- programme planning

- event marketing

- conference management and production, and supporting technologies

- event evaluation.

The organization of an event requires a similar strategic approach to that needed for planning and managing most other events. Clear objectives should be set from the beginning, a bud­get has to be established, a venue must be sourced and delegates' accommodation and travel arrangements made, a programme has to be prepared and the business activity managed for its duration. Increasingly, health and safety, security, venue contracts and service guarantees are among a number of other aspects need­ing serious consideration, but there is not space to cover these adequately here. Then, after the conference is over, final admin­istrative details have to be completed and some evaluation of the business activity should take place. While there are different factors to take into account when organizing a business activity for 500 delegates rather than one for 50, the essential components are the same.

Similar steps are required for the organization of any other events, such as sporting events, concerts, celebrations and ral­lies, whether these are of national or international significance like the football World Cup Finals or the Olympic Games, or of more localised importance, such as an antiques fair or agricultural show.

Organizing conferences, for example, is a high-pressure activity, not recom­mended for those of a nervous disposition. Yet, well handled, it can be tremendously exhilarating and rewarding. It goes without saying that excellent organizational skills are a must, as are atten­tion to detail and a willingness to work long and often irregular hours, especially in the immediate build-up period and during the event itself.

Any business activity needs to be planned with the precision of a military operation. Indeed, it is not surprising that a number of those now working successfully as conference organizers have come from a military background.

But, in addition to hard work and attention to detail, venues need a creativity and flair to be brought to them, which will make them memorable occasions. They should live long in the memories of delegates, not only because of the benefits accruing from what has been shared and learned during the formal pro­gramme, but also for the opportunities they provide for informal networking and doing business, as well as socialising.

In some cases, companies and organizations will already have systems in place when the event is, for example, an annual event which runs along similar lines year after year. In other cases, it may be an entirely new event for which no previous orga­nizational history or tradition exists. Both scenarios have their advantages and disadvantages:

• The regularly-held venues may operate smoothly with just some fine tuning and updating to established systems and pro­cedures. It might, however, be failing to achieve its real poten­tial as, for example, a conference, having become staid and predictable, and it may be that a completely fresh approach would be benefi­cial. The challenge for a new organizer will be to revolutionise the organization of the venue without alienating too many of the staff or members (if it is a membership organization) associated with the previous regime

• Where there is no previous event history, an organizer has the benefit of beginning with a clean sheet of paper. There are no set ways of doing things, no established contacts, no 'venues that we always use'. There is a freedom to bring some­thing of his own identity to the event, to build up his own network of information and suppliers, and to ensure that the event management systems are put in place to his own design. But such freedom brings with it a responsibility which can appear daunting if the organizer has been thrust into the role of running a business activity with minimal training and experience.

Exercise

Study the information given in Appendixes and work out your business event.