< PreviousT here’s a reason why so many corporate meet- ing and incentive events seem to be cookie cutter productions. Over the decades the meetings and events industry has established a protocol of sorts that many planners follow to ensure a meeting goes off without a hitch. And while following a standard practice of conducting events that have been proven to deliver is understandable, today’s attendees want something more – they seek experiences that are engaging, intriguing and safe at the same time. From her experience, Yvette Campbell, CMP, meeting planner at Meetings Made Easy, says group attendees are wanting a lot more interaction with meetings and events since the pandemic. Gone are the days where you enter a room, listen to a speaker, have lunch and end the day with a cocktail hour. Elements such as interesting activation sta- tions and team-building experiences are becoming the norm. “We are all looking for more human touches, connecting to a charitable organization or even doing something out of the norm,” Campbell says. “I have seen events connecting with the local animal shelter to have an adoption site and play pen available to guests to take a furry friend home.” Campbell also is seeing meetings incorporating team- building experiences – simple scavenger hunts around the hotel or city to learn about the facility, or learn about inter- esting things in areas that pertain to the event. “The key is to create an experience rather than just an event. By taking an experiential approach, attendees become part of the program rather than just spectators,” says Heather Wilson, CMP, founder of The Brand Strategy Tank. Wilson points to several attributes that make today’s events truly engaging. These include: • Interactive experiences: Give attendees opportuni- ties to engage in interactive experiences that allow them to participate actively in the event rather than just being passive observers. • Personalization and belonging: It doesn’t matter if an attendee is in the c-suite or the beginning of their career. They want to feel that they belong. Attend- ees want events that are tailored to their individual interests and needs. “Personalized recommendations for sessions based on role, customized agendas and targeted networking opportuni- ties can help make attendees feel more engaged and invested in the event,” Wilson says. “Creating a feeling of belonging means being intentional about inclusion. This should be woven into the fabric of all events. Creating accessibility guides for all events underscores the importance of inclusion and lets all attendees know their needs are considered.” • Networking: Time and again, survey feedback tells us that attendees value networking opportunities as a way to connect with others, exchange ideas and learn from each another. Events should facilitate meaning- ful networking as a best practice. • High-quality content: Content should be educational and not promotional. Attendees will call you out if it isn’t. Events should feature content that is relevant, up-to-date and presented in an engaging way. From keynote speakers to breakout sessions, attendees want to leave the event feeling informed and inspired. Creating an Experience BY CHLOE LABELLE While Keeping Attendees Engaged & Secure Coalesce 2022 / Photo by Lucid Media 20 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com INDUSTRY TIPS• Technology enablement: Attendees expect events to incorporate technology that enhances their overall experience, such as event apps with the ability to make timely announcements (i.e., lunch begins in 15 minutes), augmented reality experiences, and the option of virtual and hybrid event formats. • Sustainability and social responsibility: Wilson is regularly asked about sustainability efforts and publishes reports following events, as attendees are increasingly conscious of the impact events have on the environment and community. “Events that prioritize sustainability and social respon- sibility are likely to appeal to attendees who are looking for value-aligned events,” Wilson says. Add food donation clauses to your contracts – there are laws in place to pro- tect you and the venue, and you can use these to push back on venues who use the excuse of ‘potential liabilities,’ as an excuse not to make this important effort.” At a recent event that Wilson orchestrated, she chal- lenged sponsors to create “activation stations” that were rel- evant to their business versus traditional booths at the expo hall. “Attendees and spon- sors loved it, though sponsors were a bit appre- hensive at first. Having no badge scanners was a bit controversial, but flying in the face of the status quo isn’t always comfortable. You have to dare to be dif- ferent,” Wilson says. One sponsor has an origami swan as part of their logo and had an origami folding station. Another had people silkscreen their own t-shirts. And even another one set up a 1950’s diner. This format provided for fun, organic conversations and “wow” moments at every turn rather than the quid pro quo of a piece of swag in exchange for scanning a name badge on an expo hall floor where attendees feel like they’ve already walked many times before. “The feedback was that it felt like a fun, low-pressure, pro- fessional carnival or fair. The social media engagement stats and sign-ups for trials with the company were the highest they’d ever seen,” Wilson says. “The authenticity and engage- ment that came out of it is something that can’t be bought. Something that hasn’t worked is speakers and keynotes tak- ing place during meals. It’s noisy and distracting for the speaker to hear people clinging forks and glasses. As Wilson points out, attendees also feel self-conscious making noise while eating. “The banquet staff can be disruptive refreshing tables, and attendees are unable to socialize during a time that should be theirs to network, enjoy their meal and take a break from con- tent,” Wilson says. “Sometimes, less is more.” That said, Campbell also recommends engaging events that boast full agendas with a mixture of education, relax- ation and human connection times. “Consider featuring entertainment offered during breaks – make it different, use local talent from surrounding schools and [organizations],” Campbell says. “Try to involve the local community or do an activity that gives back to the community.” Striving To Be Engaging Wilson says it is imperative to have clear goals and objectives for meetings and events and to provide these to attendees at the onset. Answer the question, “Why should I attend this conference over another?” Coalesce 2022 / Photo by Lucid Media Create ways for attendees to stay engaged through participation and networking, like at Coalesce, pictured, a premier analytics engineering conference. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 21 Interactivity always gives attendees fun opportunities to collaborate, engage and network with each other. DEVEN CRANE Director of Travel Services, Incentive Solutions“Provide a clear explanation of the ROI for attendees. They need to know what to expect and what value the event will deliver for them,” Wilson says. “This is especially impor- tant when they are trying to convince their leadership to pay for their attendance at business events.” If an attendee feels lost or doesn’t know where to go – this will create a poor experience and the engagement factor will immediately decrease. “If speakers are not engaging or become promotional, attendees will see through it and dis- engage. Further, poor time management will take the wind out of attendees’ sails,” Wilson says. “If sessions run over, or there are too many concurrent sessions happening at once, which forces attendees to choose between too many sessions, they will become frustrated. Social events and meals starting too late or early will also have negative effects on engage- ment and attendee satisfaction.” Meeting planning professional, Deven Crane, director of travel services at Incentive Solutions, says that meeting technology is moving forward quickly, so we have to stay ahead of the curve. “Augmented reality is a great new way to engage and ‘wow’ attendees,” Crane says. “Also, mobile apps, interactive displays and gamification help make the event much more interactive. Interactivity including group activities, breakout sessions and roundtables always give attendees fun opportu- nities to collaborate, engage and network with each other.” Crane’s clients, the trip sponsors, look for opportunities for their attendees to team build and network. The attendees love immersing themselves in local culture whenever they can. Whether it’s through food, music, art or other activities, they want to experience something unique that they can’t get anywhere else. Interestingly, sustainable and socially respon- sible activities have become more and more attractive over the past few years. “We have a lot of people wanting to do activities like hiking, kayaking, wildlife watching or visiting cultural landmarks,” says Crane. “However, spas and golfing continue to be the most popular activities. I guess some trends will never fade!” Crane points to two main elements that will ensure high engagement: • Managing the flow of events, activities and private time. If anyone ever is confused as to what is happen- ing, then you’re doing it wrong, and other attendees are probably wondering the same thing. That leads to confusion and people distrusting the planners. • The activities and the content drive engagement. If it’s an activity that is new or exciting, attendees will be likely to show up and join. If the meeting is topical, with content that will benefit them, they’re going to participate. “Without both factors, attendees will not engage because they can’t, or they don’t want to,” Crane says. “Honestly, you can just tell when an event isn’t going well. People aren’t partic- ipating or mingling. Over time you learn how to read the room.” Tim Heffernan, chief growth and development officer at T3 Expo, says it’s important to vary the format of an event. Long lectures can be tiring, so it’s important to put more of the conversations on the show floor. “Incorporating pavilions, such as mini-theaters, is a great way to hyper-localize content for a specific subset of the audience. For example, a cybersecurity pavilion would give specific 10 to 20 minute talks on how to protect different parts of a critical infrastructure,” Heffernan says. It’s all about creating shareable moments. Here are some specific examples that Heffernan offers: • Action on the show floor: Attendees want to be actively involved in the event rather than being pitched to, or just sitting and listening. Incorporate edutainment opportunities on the show floor through pavilions and interactive activities, and also include live polling, Q&A sessions, breakout ses- sions, networking opportunities and hands-on workshops. • Personalization: Attendees want events that are tailored to their interests and needs. They want to be able to choose sessions that are relevant to their industry, job role or specific interests. Personalization Coalesce 2022 / Photo by Lucid Media Strive to create a feeling of belonging and inclusion among attendees. 22 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comcan also come in the form of custom branding, personalized emails and individualized content. • Innovation: Attendees want events that are cutting- edge, creative and unique. They want to experience the latest technology, new event formats and physical environments that will leave a lasting impression. Innovation can include things like augmented reality, gamification and interactive installations. “Overall, attendees want events that are engaging, infor- mative and shareable,” Heffernan says. “They want to feel like they are part of a community and have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. By incorporating these engagement aspects, event organizers can create a suc- cessful and impactful event that resonates with attendees.” However, he adds, it’s important to avoid overloading attendees with too many activities or information, as this can lead to burnout and disengagement. It’s also crucial to lis- ten to quantitative, qualitative and emotional feedback from attendees, and make adjustments for future events based on their suggestions and preferences. Safety Is Key While event planners want events to be engaging, they also need to be safe. From creatively and safely meeting in person post-pandemic to being vigilant about active shooter aware- ness, safety is paramount. Some large events are requiring security checks and attendees to walk through metal detectors. Indeed, engaging and safe events go hand-in-hand. According to James Hayes, vice president of sports and enter- tainment at Guidepost Solutions, a security consultancy, the risk level associated with meetings or events depends on many factors, not limited to the area the event is to be held, controversiality of topic, demographic of participants, and any known threats against the organizers. “Events or meetings about controversial topics, events or meetings held in high crime areas, and events or meetings involving participant groups known to be disruptive or com- bative should be assessed to determine if enhanced security protocols should be implemented,” Hayes says. Of course, every event has different needs based on risk. Assess the risk to an event based on the specifics of the event. For venues, Hayes recommends having flexible security pro- cedures that allow security assets to be increased depending on the risk associated with the event. “We recommend approaching every event or meeting as a single security task order as opposed to having one standard for the venue,” Hayes says. As a best practice, Wilson says it’s crucial for organiz- ers to conduct a thorough risk assessment and implement appropriate safety measures to ensure attendee safety. This requires a safety and risk plan. “For each locale, laws will vary. Meetings with the fire marshal and calls with the local police department can help shape the plan,” Wilson says. In addition to a clear code of conduct that attendees must agree to upon registration, for each event Wilson orches- trates, she creates a location-specific safety and risk docu- ment. This is an accordance with local laws and in collabora- tion with the venue, fire and police departments. “During pre-conference, I walk through the plan with the security team and do a check-in with the fire marshal once I’ve arrived onsite to ensure that egresses are to satisfaction and no changes have been made to the fire exit plan,” she adds. Probably the largest safety concern Crane can remember in all his years as a planner was the COVID-19 pandemic. “Planners needed to adjust just about everything with in person meetings as well as evolve into virtual events,” Crane says. “With that being in the rearview mirror now, we still need to think about safety while traveling out of the country on foreign lands. Crime is in every city but having knowl- edge of local ‘hot spots’ is something that always need to be thought about and planned around.” And while many planners focus immediately on the attri- butes that will make an event engaging, they often procrasti- nate on making sure the event is safe. “The biggest mistake I see in today’s environment is pro- crastination,” Hayes says. “The longer you wait to assess the risk to an event and address security concerns, the more challenging it is to hire vendors and the more expensive it is to adequately staff the event. It’s also critical to identify who is responsible for the security of a meeting or event. Is the venue contractually obligated to provide security? Are the organizers contractually obligated to engage with local law enforcement or a private security force? These are things that are sometimes overlooked.” C&IT Courtesy of Deven Crane Having a contingency plan in place for in person events is essential in case there is an emergency. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 23T oday’s corporate meeting and events indus- try has grown exponentially, offering confer- ences, meetings, expos and events covering a wealth of topics. As such, potential attend- ees are expecting memorable and engag- ing experiences from which to choose. One key area that can capture attendees’ attention is having a meaningful, energizing keynote speaker who will make last- ing impressions that resonate with attendees long after an event has concluded. Nicole Raudabaugh, CMP, meeting planner and customer success manager at Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, points out that since recorded history, including a keynote speaker at a meeting or event has been proven to be a successful addi- tion to any group gathering. “A good keynote speaker can inspire, teach, and entertain all at once. Think about your favorite high school teacher,” Raudabaugh says. “Why did you like to be in their class? Likely, it was because they kept you engaged through inter- esting stories or new ways of looking at things. The same applies to a keynote speaker. You remember the ones that spoke a truth that resonated with you.” Additionally, speakers who are well known and come with recognizable names or titles can bring legitimacy and recog- nition to an event. “A promise of an address from someone like that may encourage new attendees to sign up for your event or bring an inherent excitement for attendees who are already required to be there,” Raudabaugh says. Heather Herrig, CMP, president & chief event strate- gist at Every Last Detail Events, says featuring engaging keynote speakers is always a wonderful way to bring other voices, perspectives and stories to your audience that help them connect in new and different ways to your central message and theme. “We all want our participants to leave our meetings and events with certain feelings, motivations and ideas — an effec- tive keynote can be the perfect complement to your content strategy, helping you achieve your overall goals,” Herrig says. Successful keynote sessions depend on the ability of the speaker to engage and connect with the audience, says Lenny Talarico, CEO at Lenny Talarico Events. Booking a speaker who can create a sense of excitement and energy can help elevate the event and leave a lasting impression on attend- ees. “A keynote speaker can often move an audience by shar- ing their unique personal story, or by drawing upon their extensive knowledge and expertise to impart new insights and perspectives,” Talarico says. “By selecting a speaker who strikes the right tone and resonates with attendees, you can ensure your keynote session is a memorable and impactful experience.” Motivating the Masses BY KATHY SINGLETON Keynote Speakers Who Make An Impact 24 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com EVENT PLANNINGThe Right Choice There are several key character- istics to look for when identifying an engaging, memorable and impactful key- note speaker. First, Herrig says it is critical that the presenter’s topic align with the meeting or event’s core narrative, so the stories or messages they are sharing will resonate. “A celebrity may seem like a flashy way to attract attend- ees, but if they don’t connect with the event as a whole, they won’t be as impactful. Beyond that, you want to look for a presenter with energy, charisma and an authentic desire to make a connection with your audience. If they’re engaged, your attendees will be, too,” says Herrig, whose favorite key- notes have been those who make the attendees look at some- thing in a completely new way. “As gifted storytellers, these presenters connected and inspired, and accordingly sparked something special in our attendees that encouraged them to act or think differently well past our event,” Herrig says. “Their energy radiated from the stage, and their love for what they were sharing was contagious.” An engaging, memorable and impactful keynote speaker should be charismatic yet authentic. Through their storytelling ability, Talarico says they should be able to demonstrate expertise in their field or on a spe- cific subject matter, bringing interactivity and relevance to the session. “Speakers who are effective at incorporating authen- tic storytelling into their keynotes succeed in deliver- ing sessions which leave a lasting impression on attend- ees,” Talarico says. Herrig also has an example of a very poorly received keynote. “We had hired a celebrity, but it had been many years since he was in the spotlight. The name was pro- vided to us by our meeting hosts, so we booked him. Unfortunately, the keynote did not go over well at all,” Herrig says. “He was almost unrecognizable from his days in the spotlight, and many in the audience did not know who he was. Further, there was no connection between his message or story and our confer- ence. Definitely a shame. It’s important to consider the presenters, too, and making sure that the engagements are a valu- able use of their time, so they do not feel let down by the experience.” Strategies To Take When it comes to finding keynote speakers, looking for a name vs. look- ing for content alignment is, Herrig believes, a big miss. The message has to connect with the event goals, theme and audience. In addition, you must take the time to consider how to make the most of this individual’s gifts, experiences and stories to align with what your audience wants to hear, and share that with the presenter. “Give them every opportunity to make the most impact,” Herrig says. “Schedule a planning call to discuss and col- laborate with them, and share all you can about your event and attendees.” Talarico says the biggest mistake planners make as it relates to finding “rousing” keynote speakers is in not being open minded to those outside of a specific industry. “Accountants, lawyers and other professionals certainly have a need for ‘industry-specific training sessions; how- ever, when looking to discuss topics like ‘change manage- ment, employee motivation or Diversity & Inclusion,’ finding someone who has an interesting story or experience to share away from a particular discipline can lead to more successful outcomes,” Talarico says. Courtesy Photo Nicole Raudabaugh (pictured), customer success manager at Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, says that a successful keynote speaker can inspire, teach and entertain all at once. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 25 It is critical that the presenter’s topic align with the event’s core narrative.Event planners, and subsequently the hired keynote speakers, also have to compete with other elements at play in meetings and events. Remember that people’s attention spans are virtually gone, so without having an engaging speaker, you are going to lose your audience. If you are using a speaker bureau, they should be asking you several questions to make sure the keynote they are pro- posing is a good fit overall — not only for your audience, but for your overall theme of the conference or meeting. If they are just pushing their latest and greatest, they are thinking of themselves and not of you and your needs as a planner, as well as what will work best for your attendees. Of course, budget is also a factor. As Raudabaugh explains, the more recognizable the person, often the higher their speaking fee can be. That said, it is important to note that you don’t need a former president or industry titan to have a memorable keynote. “Focusing on your goals and objectives of the event and ensuring your keynote’s messages align and enhance those efforts are key,” Raudabaugh says. “A keynote who is willing to customize their presentation or further emphasize certain portions of it to help you meet your goals will be a natural tie-in to your event and make it feel like a cohesive effort to the attendees.” Raudabaugh has had the good fortune to see a number of excellent keynotes in her meeting planning career. The ones that she’s found to be the most interesting were: a person whom you know to be famous, but during their keynote, they reveal a lot more about themselves as a person and the strug- gles and successes they had to get where they are today in their career; and a person who you’ve never heard of before but whose personal story had unique twists and turns mixed in with the everyday mantra of one foot in front of the other. “Each of these speaker types helps remind me of our shared humanity and how we are often stronger than we think when faced with obstacles,” Raudabaugh says. Alternatively, she’s seen a few keynotes where they dive deep into technical, political or financial details, and her interest starts to wane. “However, that is a purely personal opinion because I also remember a person sitting two seats away from me talking about how interesting and thought-provoking the presentation on microeconomics was,” Raudabaugh says. “Maybe I was the minority in the audience, or maybe there was a judgement error on the part of the event planning committee for picking a topic that wasn’t universal enough to the audience.” DepositPhotos.com Aligning the keynote speaker’s messaging toward the objective of the event is key. 26 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comBe sure to watch video clips of the speaker you are select- ing and ask for references from organizations they’ve recently worked with. Also, Raudabaugh recommends making sure you understand what their full rider requirements are from travel and lodging accommodations to ground transportation and green room requirements. “Ask your speaker, as part of the upfront agreement, if they’d be willing to provide pre-event marketing materials and teaser videos to help encourage excitement about their time with your audience,” Raudabaugh says. The Hybrid Experience As some meetings are hybrid in format, considerations need to be made in terms of how that specific keynote will impact virtual attendees’ experience. Herrig suggests confirming the presenter has delivered a message virtually in the past, or be prepared with the produc- tion team to coach them if needed. They should strive to con- nect with both the in-person audience and the virtual one, and the meeting planner must consider ways to engage both groups. “Is there a Q&A, for example? Then, you will want to make sure you are bringing in questions from inside the room and virtually, and have the presenter address those ques- tions in a personal way regardless of where they originated from,” Herrig says. Without a doubt, the hybrid format of meetings and events has had an impact on speaker sessions. Talarico points out that it’s very difficult to deliver compelling focused con- tent live over the internet when you have limited control over the attendee’s setting. “In a live setting, you control the room, the stage, the lighting, the sound, the video, etc. While phones may ring occasionally, you don’t have kids needing to be fed, or an Amazon delivery person at the door, and it’s unlikely the dog ever barks,” Talarico says. “Determine in advance what that looks like, or the best way to deliver the content for those unable to attend in person. Perhaps it’s live or per- haps it’s recorded and available on-demand to allow the remote attendee to access it at a time most convenient and focused for them.” Also, if you think there is a chance your event might turn from fully in-person to hybrid during the planning cycle, Raudabaugh says that would be a good thing to share with potential keynote speakers at the start of your partnership to ensure they are comfortable with that. Additionally, be sure to think about how to engage the virtual audience of a hybrid event with the keynote speaker. As Raudabaugh explains, you don’t want the person watching the live event remotely to feel as though they are missing out or simply watching something on TV that isn’t created specifically for them. Ideas of how to do this include having the speaker talk directly to the virtual audience during their presenta- tion, or posing questions to engage them and reading the responses live onstage. “You can also consider hosting a breakout session for just the virtual audience to have one-to-one time with the keynote,” Raudabaugh says. “There are many creative ways to ensure your keynote resonates with all your attendees, be they virtual or in-person, but implementing them may take a little bit more work and forethought, so be sure to get started early.” An Evolving Role Keynote speakers provide valuable insights, practical advice and fresh perspectives that can help attendees stay on top of industry trends and succeed in their careers. As Talarico explains, meetings and incentive events are often geared toward creating a sense of community and shared purpose among attendees. “A powerful keynote speaker can help foster a positive and collaborative environment,” Talarico says. “Speakers will continue to evolve as our industry and the world does to meet changing audience needs. Customization, virtual presenta- tions, diversity and inclusion, well-being and technology are becoming increasingly important. Speakers who adapt to these trends will be able to engage and inspire attendees in impactful ways.” As keynote speakers continue to become more tech- nologically savvy, Raudabaugh anticipates that presen- tations may include more of a multimedia experience to allow attendees who learn in different styles to be as engaged as possible. Additionally, speakers may need to evolve into offering standard pre- and post-event messag- ing, and work to help stretch and strengthen the desired content takeaways. “Science continues to show that learners need to hear a new topic over and over again to absorb it and this multiple touchpoint method helps that,” Raudabaugh says. “We live in an environment where attendees are used to seeing informa- tion come at them in shorter bursts of information with brain breaks in between. Perhaps, the traditional keynote of 60 or 90 minutes will start to fade in favor of shorter immersions by the speaker through the lifecycle of the event. I haven’t seen this too often yet, but it’s something for both planners and speakers to think about.” C&IT TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 27 An effective keynote can be the perfect complement to your content strategy, helping you achieve your overall goals. HEATHER HERRIG, CMP President & Chief Event Strategist, Every Last Detail EventsO ne in four Americans has some form of disability, making those with disabili- ties the largest, most under-represented minority group in the country. Consum- ers with disabilities contribute hundreds of billions of dollars in discretionary income to the U.S. economy each year and make up the coun- try’s third largest market segment. “Disability rights are civil rights,” says Donna Mack, an independent accessibility consultant who works with busi- nesses that want to grow profits and transform cultures by increasing disability access and inclusion. Mack has planned and hosted many accessible events over the years, and now empowers other organizations with the tools and sys- tems necessary to ensure that everyone feels welcome and included in their events. As Mack explains, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that individuals with disabilities receive fair and equal access to opportunities, including most events. “It’s honestly safe to assume that your events are all required to be ADA compliant. In the very rare instances where an event is not required to be ADA compliant, it’s still a good idea to follow Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) best practices to ensure your event appeals to the most people possible.” Stephen Cutchins, senior product manager of accessi- bility at Cvent, says that live events are all about bringing people together for an incredible, shared experience. But without the right planning approach, sharing those expe- riences can be prohibitive and events can, inadvertently, exclude some people. “Planners should work to ensure that everyone can have a positive, valuable experience, which is exactly why accom- modating people with disabilities should not be overlooked during both the event planning and execution process,” says Cutchins, who also points out that, although the meeting and events industry still has a ways to go, more meeting and event professionals are starting to realize that they cannot overlook accessibility needs. “An important — and legally required — aspect of that is being ADA-compliant. This means following the guidelines that are meant to protect people with disabilities from exclu- sion or discrimination,” Cutchins says. “Ultimately, Cvent’s mission — and the mission of our industry at large — is to bring people together. Making sure everyone feels welcomed and accommodated should always be priority No. 1.” Steps To Take Within the meetings industry, the most obvious focus for a planner is related to accessibility. Most venues hosting events must meet certain ADA requirements to be compliant; however, that can sometimes be a bit tricky since the regula- tion states when compliance is readily achievable. Access Success BY CARMEN ANTHONY Ensuring ADA-Compliant Events DepositPhotos.com Accommodate support animals by making sure there is a relief area nearby. 28 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com PLANNER TIPSIt is important to make sure rooms and seating options are accessible. That includes restroom accommodation to making sure there are low chairs and tables versus seating that is pub style with stools. This type of accommodation is something which can easily be overlooked. Even accessibility to food service needs to be analyzed. Food trucks are trendy, but not every one can easily access to window to order. Also, keep in mind many have dietary restrictions, like they are gluten free or have allergies to con- sider. Maybe they need to have more frequent snacks or food breaks due to a medical condition. The good news is most hotels and other venues are ADA compliant when it comes to the physical structure. Door openings, restrooms, lodging rooms and pathways (offer- ing elevators in addition to steps and escalators) meet ADA recommendations. However, meeting planners still need to consider logistics. Everything from the schedule of events to the way a room is organized must be reviewed to make sure it is as acces- sible as possible for everyone. Is there enough time built in between events for a person with mobility restrictions to move between locations? Will pathways be unobstructed? Is there reserved seating in the front for hearing and sight impaired attendees? Have you selected activities that pro- mote engagement from everyone? These things should be a standard part of the meeting planner checklist. Many may have a support animal with them. Is there easy access to an area for relief breaks for these animals nearby? Also ensure signage is able to be understood by all. Those who have problems seeing might need larger or more easy to read signs with high contrast or possibly braille options. Those who have a problem hearing might need assisted lis- tening devices or sign language interpretation. Indeed, as a B2B accessibility consultant who is deaf, Svetlana Kouznetsova says, based on her experience, often event organizers think of ADA compliance as ensuring that events are hosted at venues that are accessible to wheel- chair users but fail to consider accessibility needs of people with other disabilities, such as hearing, visual and cognitive. “Also, just complying with ADA is not enough as needs of disabled people vary,” Kouznetsova says. “It’s more important to focus on optimizing accessibility experience of disabled people rather than just blindly following an ADA checklist. Often laws cannot keep up with changes in times, technologies and needs of disabled people.” Regardless of the event format (e.g., in-person, hybrid, or virtual), Cutchins says hosts, planners and partners must ensure they are building event experiences that empower all attendees to participate and derive value from attend- ing. And that means having the right technology in place, investing in accessibility services and training support staff to accommodate guests’ needs. “What that looks like in practice can vary, depending on the event’s size, scope and technological capabilities,” says Cutchins, who recommends the following: For an in-person event, best practices include: • Designing an unobstructed registration/ presenta- tion space and having guides available to assist. • Providing accessible check-in technology. • Offering live manual captioning and creating acces- sible meeting notes. • Providing Braille, larger print and assisted listening devices. • Consider having a sign language interpreter present, and providing preferred seating for individuals who need sign language interpretation. • Assisting with accessible transportation to and from the event. • Ask about attendee needs during the registration process and contact attendees as necessary to cus- tomize their experience. Meanwhile, a virtual or hybrid event requires its own set of planning considerations. First and foremost, planners should ensure any mobile or online content meets stan- dards specified in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Other recommendations include: • Offering blind and low-vision users who are unable to see visual information live or pre-recorded audio that describes the text, images, graphics, charts, ani- mations and video that comprise the visual portion of the presentation. DepositPhotos.com Budget enough time for those with mobility restrictions to move between locations. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 29Next >