Last summer, Spear One, a meeting and event planning company, handled the details for a gathering of quick-service restaurant managers held in Little Rock, Arkansas. The convention HQ was at the Marriott Little Rock and the group used the Statehouse Convention Center for general sessions.
Little Rock, in the “rib cage of mid-America,” was within driving distance for 95 percent of attendees, says Mike May, president of Spear One. While many meeting goers prefer to fly, these attendees were happy to drive because it allowed them to bring family members for a vacation getaway, too.
May offers his thoughts on why many of his clients are choosing to meet in cities like Little Rock.
- Personality – Second-tier cities have focused their brand positioning. Austin, with its funky “Keep Austin Weird,” was a big hit with a telecom sales kickoff.
- Curiosity – Many hard-charging business people have visited most first-tier cities, so an unvisited destination becomes an attendance draw with new expectations.
- Experiences – A top trend in events is creating authentic local experiences. Fort Worth, nicknamed “Cowtown,” offered multiple boot-and-jeans options for a construction industry client that enjoyed a stockyards venue and a walkable downtown area named Sundance Square.
- Big fish – Compared to Las Vegas, Orlando and other metropolises, corporate groups and smaller association conferences get loads of extra attention as the big event for the week.
- Drive-to – Many regional events can lower transportation costs, which allows more attendees or families to join.
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.
