Their remote locations thus require good efficient transportation routes and possibly
transportation facilities (limousine pickup) to nearby airports.
There are many groups that are considered consumers of meetings and conventions. These
groups vary from corporations to associations to religious groups. They sponsor meetings for
numerous reasons dealing with the specific purpose of their organization. In this unit we will
also look at the groups sponsoring meetings, conventions and expositions, their reasons and
purposes in doing so and the specific types of meetings, conventions and expositions
sponsored.
Convention Centers
Historically, these facilities were designed for convention meeting groups of up to several
thousand people, with a trade show area for 200 to 300 exhibits. Convention center function
space can be quite versatile with air walls that can create more meeting rooms for smaller
groups, known as break-out rooms. The centers also double as entertainment locations for
concerts. For many cities this center may also be the only facility that can accommodate
banquets for 1000 people or more. As a meeting venue convention centers are unique in the
following ways:
i.
They don’t have guest rooms, but are connected to (or within walking distance of) a
large hotel.
ii.
They are usually feasible for only large conventions.
iii.
Convention space is booked through the convention center sales department or local
convention bureau sales staff.
iv.
Convention center space can be booked up to 10 years (or more) in advance for very
large conventions; guest room blocks will be reserved at numerous nearby hotels
(known as a citywide convention).
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Campuses are a newer, affordable alternative, especially for groups who meet during the
summer, although meeting space have become more limited as colleges increase their
marketing efforts. This has forced repeat customers to secure space further in advance.
Lesson Activity: As a meeting venue campuses offer the following
unique features:
1.
They have large amounts of meeting space (classrooms), rooms (student housing),
and function space (student dining space) available during the summer
2.
They can offer lower group rates than hotels during a high-demand, (summer) period
Each of these meeting facilities venues will be discussed in greater detail along with
site selection criteria and industry procedures.
Types of Meeting Planners
Today, meeting planners in general have received much more professional training than in the
past. As mentioned previously, there are now numerous associations for all types of meeting
planners to join. These groups offer training sessions (known as continuing education) to their
members, which often are held during the convention.
