Orlando, Las Vegas and Chicago have held down the top three spots on Cvent’s annual list of top 50 U.S. meeting destinations for several years running, but rising stars on the 2017 list include second-tier stalwarts such as Nashville (No. 9), New Orleans (No. 10) and Austin (No. 15). Cvent, which provides software solutions for both event planners and hoteliers worldwide, compiles the Top-50 list annually based on the data it collects from the billions of dollars in meetings it helps book each year. The company has published the list since 2012.
“We have seen a good mix of up-and-coming destinations breaking into this list every year,” says Kevin Fliess, vice president of marketing, hospitality cloud at Cvent. More cities have developed the convention centers and hotel space necessary to host large groups. Once the infrastructure exists, price, accessibility and a high level of service are key factors that draw groups to second-tier cities.
Cvent offers five tips for finding a destination that meets your group dynamics and will promote maximum attendee satisfaction:
1. Match the destination with attendee needs. While some attendees crave the fast-paced lifestyle and plethora of attractions a large city provides, others seek the quiet of smaller destinations. If spouses or family are invited, keep family-friendliness in mind.
2. Break down the budget. If attendees will pay for their attendance, determining how much they or their organizations can allot to the event is vital. If you are hosting a sales team and paying the tab, cost is equally important. Keep the following costs involved: meeting space, food and beverage, transportation, speaker fees and meeting services (audio/visual, setup, etc.).
3. Assess hotels and meeting space. After making sure the number and quality of hotel room accommodations match your and your attendees’ expectations, determine where meetings will be staged and how accessible they are from all hotels that attendees may use. Investigate peak and shoulder seasons to determine if you can plan your event at the most affordable time.
4. Determine the destination’s appeal. Here are some questions to help determine a destination’s appeal:
- What is the walkability of the location? You may be surprised to discover that New York has a walk score of 88 out of 100, making it the most walkable destination in the U.S., while Omaha has a score of 41.
- How many restaurants are in reasonable walking or driving distance from the hotel?
- Will attendees have enough free time to enjoy the destination?
- Where are the attractions in relation to the hotel(s)?
- What makes the destination fun, interesting and unique?
- What will the average weather conditions be during your event?
5. Assess transportation. Ease your attendees’ worries about getting to and from your event by selecting a desirable and convenient destination. Factors to consider:
- Where are attendees traveling from? If they are 200 miles or less from the event, they will probably drive.
- What is the destination air, train and bus access? What is an average airfare and how many flights are non-stop?
- What are the mass transit offerings in the city itself? Are there clean, affordable and safe subway, light rail or bus systems? What about taxis or Uber?
Transportation costs add up, especially if the destination is difficult to get to and relies heavily on taxi service.
More Cvent resources for finding the right city and venue for your next sales meeting or incentive trip can be found at cvent.com.
Nashville jumped from No. 14 on Cvent’s most popular U.S. destinations for meetings in 2012 to No. 7 in 2017. New Orleans, Denver and Austin, Texas, are also in the top 15.
Author
Get our newsletter and digital focus reports
Stay current on learning and development trends, best practices, research, new products and technologies, case studies and much more.
