< PreviousT rade shows have been an essential part of the business world for thousands of years, with companies and customers buying and selling products and trading ideas in exhibitions around the globe. While the pandemic led to a short- term pivot toward virtual events, with many cancellations of in-person gatherings in 2020 and 2021, most shows have seen their attendee numbers bounce back strongly and even exceed pre-pandemic levels. This, of course, has encouraged organizers to reinvest in making their shows bigger and better than ever before. As such, it truly is more crucial to attend trade shows in person again. Here, we’ll explore some of the reasons why everyone should attend trade shows in person and why there are some that should not be missed. 1. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES One of the most significant benefits of attending trade shows is networking opportunities with other professionals in various industries. In-person meetings scored higher marks from survey respondents in terms of attendee and exhibitor satisfaction. A recent study revealed that in-person events remain essential for learning, networking, sourcing and sales even as new technology is adopted. The study shows that 78% of respondents stated that meeting face-to-face is a key priority, up from 68% in 2021. This highlights the fact that people see the importance of meeting in person now more than ever. Exhibitors and attendees can expect to connect with new suppliers, customers, manufacturers and wholesalers, leading to further growth and business opportunities. These connections become even more important as they create a sense of community and belonging within the industry. 2. WITNESS NEW INNOVATIONS Research shows that 92% of attendees visit conferences and exhibitions to explore new and exciting products and services. Trade shows showcase the latest innovations and technologies in a particular industry, making them an excellent tool for keeping up with the competition. It is the one time when companies display the greatest and latest technologies all under one roof. There are companies that build technologies specifically for trade shows, for example, NPE2024: The Plastics Show. At NPE2024, attendees will see the most recent technological advancements in the plastics industry, making this event a must-attend for anyone in the field. They will see new products, machinery and demonstrations of how these products work. Witnessing such innovations firsthand is what makes attending in-person trade shows a priceless experience. 3. MARKET TRENDS AND INSIGHTS Aside from networking, trade shows also provide an excellent opportunity to gain insights into market trends and consumer behaviors. Attendees can join sessions where industry experts discuss the future of the industry, changes in consumer behavior and other relevant topics. This concentration of industry knowledge and expertise available to attendees at global trade shows is unparalleled. As such, it provides significant insights into how businesses can and should evolve to prepare for future changes. 4. STRENGTHEN BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS At trade shows, businesses have the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships with suppliers, distributors and other key stakeholders, which is especially important because according to Trade Show Labs, the vast majority, 82% of trade show attendees have the authority to make purchasing decisions. It’s possible to arrange face-to-face VIEW POINT Trade Shows The Value of In-Person Interaction BY DAMARIS PIRAINO 8 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2024meetings with partners that have only met via calls or emails. This strengthens relationships in the long run and can lead to new business opportunities. Additionally, this is the one time when customers come to the sellers — saving everyone time and creating the conditions to accelerate business partnerships. Plus, smaller companies benefit from “drop-by attendance” in their booths from buyers who make their way through the exhibit halls on their way to meet with bigger exhibitors. Research shows that 74% of attendees will likely buy an exciting product after seeing it at a trade show. 5. AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE Lastly, trade shows provide a vehicle for unforgettable experiences that simply can’t be replicated in any other way. For example, NPE2024 provides attendees with a five-day celebration of the plastics industry. It is a unique opportunity to join thousands of people from around the world, more than 138 countries, to be exact. It is also a chance to meet old contacts, make new friends and experience a sense of unity within the plastics industry. Plus, it is a chance to enjoy a new city that first-timers may have never visited before. There are many reasons why everyone should attend a trade show in person. Trade shows provide a unique opportunity to widen business horizons and make an impact that transcends beyond the business itself. This is why, for those in the plastics industry, if there is only one event you should have attended in person this year, it should have been NPE2024. | AC&F | COURTESY OF CHOOSE CHICAGO 9 Damaris Piraino is the director of Trade Show Marketing for the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). Piraino is a seasoned marketing professional who worked on NPE2024: The Plastics Show, which took place in Orlando, FL last month. She has a BA in Marketing from The Catholic University of America. MAY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Trade shows provide a unique opportunity to widen business horizons and make an impact that transcends beyond the business itself. G ot a great idea, unique insight or informed opinion that you just can’t wait to share? BZZT! Sorry, friend, but as it turns out, you’re just not that fascinating. Of course, I’m simply jok- ing, but it serves to illustrate a helpful point. Specifically, that in a time where audiences are exposed to a skyrocketing number of marketing messages daily — and human attention spans have shrunk to just eight seconds (less than that of a goldfish’s), it’s becoming harder to capture and hold audi- ences’ attention than ever. Noting this, having served as a keynote speaker and trainer for hundreds of organizations, I’ve found that it’s important to rethink how we fundamen- tally design presentations, especially those delivered online or virtually, to make audiences immediately tune in and keep them from tuning out. Following, you’ll find a number of expert hints, tips and insights that can help you prepare your speakers to more effectively connect with and engage with attendees or connected viewers — and (regardless of whatever sub- ject matter or format you’re working with), more effec- tively stand out. Make Problem-Solving Your Priority — Audiences’ schedules are more crowded and job roles more demanding than ever. Noting this, they’re not swinging by or tuning in to hear you pontificate, but rather help them solve pressing problems. To this extent, all presentations should be geared towards providing either (a) a paradigm shift in the way others think, (b) a handful of mission-critical insights or (even better) (c) one to three key action steps that audiences can immediately begin taking on to completion to better their situation. As you go about designing presentations, consider: What key challenges are your audiences facing on the job — and how can you offer solutions that help viewers quickly address them? Then, distill the essence of your presentation down to how you can help them solve these problems, and present your material in a clear, concise and instantly accessible narrative format. Differentiate Out of the Gate — Pro tip: If you’re not immediately memorable from the opening buzzer, you can forget about ever capturing, let alone holding, audiences’ interest. Whatever hook you choose to lead speeches with (i.e. humor, authority, quirkiness, urgency, empathy, etc.), make sure you instantly leap off the stage or screen and differenti- ate yourself in the mind of viewers. Simple tricks you can use to do so include leading with an offbeat joke or memorable story; taking a contrarian stance on common business practices or beliefs; or simply piggybacking on trending news topics. Adding an endearing sight gag to your presentation — e.g. a slide featuring a silly Internet meme about working from home or dealing with disruption in the post-pandemic era — offers a quick-hit, easy way to instantly pique viewers’ attention. Let Imagery Do the Talking — There’s a reason why people say that a picture is worth a thousand words: It’s because graphics, animations, videos and illustrations serve as a form of rapid learning and mental shorthand. Using charts, graphs, and illustrations across your presentation can not only help you simplify complex concepts in seconds; it can also help you catch audiences’ eyes, break up otherwise dense layers of content and give viewers the Cliff’s Notes they need to get a handle on sophisticated ideas and con- cepts. Given the limited time you’re provided in most pre- sentations (45-60 minutes on stage, or 15-30 minutes in vir- tual format), there’s seldom enough breathing room to wax philosophical on a subject. Your goal as a speaker should typically be to quickly intro- duce a concept, provide a top-level overview and give audi- ences the tools, methodologies and formulas they need to dive deeper. Visual elements can help you more rapidly do so and (in the event you’re looking to cram added value into your pre- sentations) quickly expand further on information presented in spoken-word format. Leveraging the power of data visualization (using colorful, eye-catching graphics and images to quickly convey impor- tant information) is one of the fastest ways to grab others’ attention and communicate complex ideas in simple fashion. VIEW POINT Preparing Your Speakers Design, Deliver Powerful Presentations BY SCOTT STEINBERG 10 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2024Procced at a Brisk Clip — Pacing is important: Roughly one minute of speaking per slide makes sense, especially for online audiences (who bore easily), and for every two slides of content, a third should be used to break this material up by peppering it with engaging case studies, stories or examples. Your energy should also be strong and consistent at all times throughout your presentation, and all material delivered with a positive and upbeat outlook. As you write your speech, remember that means penning roughly 75 to 100 words maxi- mum per slide; devoting no more than two to three sentences to a single given point; and universally putting an optimistic spin on breaking trends and developments. Remember: People will feed off your insight and energy, and much of what they take away from the program will be in the framing and presentation. For instance, as I like to remind audiences, while change and disruption may seem intimidat- ing, they can also serve as sources of inspiration and great motivators for change and innovation. Likewise, while new technology trends including AI, robotics and automation may eliminate certain job roles, they’ll also create greater demand in other spaces, such as for individuals skilled in managing data and analytics. Add More Audience Interaction — Call and response activities, online group exercises, and app-based polls or surveys can also serve as helpful tools to keep audiences engaged. Similarly, I also like to break large blocks of time into clearly-divided sections (e.g. 20 minutes of keynote, then 20 more of workshop and a final 20 of panel discussion or Q&A) to keep things fresh and interesting. Whatever your preferred way of getting viewers more involved — inviting surprise guests to show up, asking audi- ences to participate in small working groups, using party games to break the ice, etc. — the important thing is to try to make conversation a two-way street. The more audiences are talked with, not at, the better off you’ll often be. Lead with Impact — As an in-person or virtual keynote presenter, remember: Your goal isn’t simply to command audi- ences’ attention — it’s to make them reconsider their situation, revisit scenarios from fresh angles, and — having reimagined their current state of affairs in context — make smarter and more effective decisions. As a general rule, you’re not just there to provide inspira- tion, but also motivation, and a clear path that can help them bridge the gap from where they are to where they want to be. That means having to make them think, feel and see differ- ently. Luckily, if you follow the rules and guidelines outlined above, you’ll already be far along in your efforts to successfully connect with and engage modern audiences — and one step ahead when it comes to designing programs that make a last- ing impression. | AC&F | 11 Hailed as the World’s Leading Business Strategist, award-winning professional speaker, management consultant, and business strategist Scott Steinberg is the creator of The Future is Yours — a new board game that can teach anyone to be more creative, innovative and resilient. Among today’s best-known trends experts and futurists, he’s been a strategic adviser to over 2000 brands, and is the bestselling author of “Think Like a Futurist: Make Change Work for You” and “Fast >> Forward: How to Turbo-Charge Business, Sales, and Career Growth.” www.FuturistsSpeakers.com MAY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES The more audiences are talked with, not at, the better off you’ll be. DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMDESTINATIONS themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2024 Global Gatherings Adding Local Flavor to Attendee Experience By Sara Karnish Toronto Toronto is large enough to offer meeting and event attend- ees a broad range of experiences, yet small enough to not over- whelm out-of-town visitors. The Globe and Mail Centre stands out from other venues in Toronto due to its size, location and unbeatable views of the city. The event space occupies the top floor of the building housing the Globe and Mail, a leading Canadian business newspaper. “It was purpose-built, and always meant to be a space only used by the Globe and Mail for internal events,” says Domi- nique Fleming, the Centre’s managing director. “The venue is quite beautiful but very functional when it comes to putting an event on.” She points out the venue has a full-size freight elevator which makes load-in and -out considerably easier. Kelli Shine, associate director, events at Media Monks, worked with a Canadian-based client on an event at the Globe and Mail Centre and called the experience “fantastic,” add- ing, “I felt their facilities were very sophisticated and mod- ern, and my planning partner Natasha was really professional and wonderful.” Shine, who handles research and scouting for her clients, said the facility was ultimately chosen because of its aesthetic. “There’s lots of natural light, and it was big enough for our numbers. It’s also a new space so we didn’t have to polish it up too much.” The venue met the needs for the client’s event, which Shine describes as “a corporate conference with about 100 people, with demo activations and a few other elements like a ping pong set up and Pop-a-Shot, followed by a recep- tion Happy Hour.” Shine also had high praise for the venue’s AV system. “The whole reason people are at these shows is the content, so the AV system has to be top notch, and they were. The screens in the Globe and Mail were great, so we were able to have tons of digital screens and signage.” The space’s aesthetic is intentionally neutral, Fleming says. “It can be transformed into whatever the client wants. It’s very T he world is back and open for business, which means there is no shortage of destinations to meet a variety of needs for meeting and event planners. From smaller venues that can accommodate more intimate gatherings comfortably, to sprawling convention centers that regularly host trade shows and global meetings and events, there is truly something available for any type of gathering anywhere in the world. Venues in these cities have welcomed guests around the globe and have garnered kudos from meeting and event planners. 12high-end, with high quality wood floors and gorgeous perfo- rated panels, which were commissioned by the Globe and Mail. There are different elements of the space that make it cool and unique. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, and we have an incredi- ble panoramic view. There’s no other place in the city with these incredible views.” Although the space is large, it has an intimate feel. “The people putting on events and spending the money to put on whatever the event is will find there’s a very ‘exclusive’ feel here,” Fleming says. “The space becomes the client’s — we don’t contract out to multiple clients on a given date.” Room configurations can be changed to suit the client’s needs. “With theater-style seating, we can fit 300 to 325 people very comfortably. Rounds, probably close to 300. If there’s no stage, probably 325,” Fleming says. “Planners love to work with us because of the design of the space. We have preferred vendors for everything from catering to furniture rentals, to AV, floral, décor design to entertainment. These vendors know our space, so that makes it easy for the planners.” Shine called the venue’s team “great to work with. I’ve worked with so many venues, and sometimes, you don’t know what you’re going to get. They were flexible, they said ‘yes’ to everything I wanted to do and bring in. I always felt sup- ported.” Clients are responsible for bringing in their own catering as this is not available on-site, although there is a large catering kitchen on the premises. Beyond the immediate space of the Globe and Mail, there is plenty to see and do in Toronto when the event wraps up for the day. The venue is not right in the middle of the downtown hus- tle and bustle, but in a quieter section of the city. “We’re near the distillery district, so there is lots around us,” Fleming says. A lifelong resident of Toronto, Fleming has had opportuni- ties to move away from the city she loves so much, but chose to stay. “It’s the most diverse city in the world, which is so amaz- ing. It has so much to offer. The restaurant scene is incredible — there’s literally every type of cuisine you can think of. There’s also a lot to do from a tourist perspective. There are museums, galleries, our Opera House, live theater. Niagara Falls is only an hour away.” As a bonus, the city’s public transportation system is easy to navigate. “There’s a lot to do in the city and fabulous spots right outside the city. Toronto is really happening,” Fleming says. Edinburgh Scotland’s capital city’s rich history, friendly people and iconic landmarks make it an attractive choice for meetings and events of all kinds. Laurie Miller, senior account executive with Creative Group, Inc., accompanied a group to Edinburgh for a recent incentive trip for a client. Half the group and their guests stayed at The George, Intercontinental Edinburgh, and the other half stayed at Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel with their guests. Events at destinations like the National Museum of Scot- land, Assembly Rooms, another Edinburgh venue space, and 13 MAY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES COURTESY OF EXCEL LONDON ExCeL London, which currently averages about 400 events a year, is undergoing an expansion to the east of the current venue, which will make it Europe’s largest fully integrated conference and exhibition space. It is slated to open this fall.Royal Yacht Britannia rounded out the itinerary. The incentive trip had been run for many years, but groups had never been split between two hotels before. “We were wary of how this would work, but what made this so successful was the convenience of it all. The hotels are sister properties but act as one — one point of contact for both hotels, one payment, working with one convention and ser- vices manager. This made things so much easier and it worked out so well. It was a seamless experience and the staff were important pluses,” Miller says. Miller called the National Museum a “natural choice for our Gala Evening. We had a cocktail reception on the lower level and had a fabulous Scottish drumming group lead us upstairs to dinner. Guests were in awe of the rock ‘n roll bagpipers!” The Assembly Rooms venue was chosen for the Welcome Reception because it was a close walk to both hotels. The reception was held in a room that had been brought back to its original splendor “with beautiful chandeliers, lots of gold leaf, and magnificent mirrors lining the room. It was gorgeous.” The Royal Yacht Brittania was the setting for the Final Night Reception. Working with a well-connected DMC who brought in experienced partners made a big difference in choosing venues and setting the agenda, Miller says. “They knew what would work and what wouldn’t, which made our experience much easier. We could feel much more confident in our plans,” Miller says. An abundance of things to see and do in a safe city made Edinburgh an attractive destina- tion. “We also offered activities that allowed people to go to the Highlands, well-known golf courses, castles and much more. Our event was short — only a 4-night stay — but our guests were able to see and do so much in a short time to get a good feel of Scotland.” According to the post-trip surveys sent to the winners, the trip was a success. “Edinburgh scored higher than the sun and fun destination we’d been to the previous year. I think people loved being out on their own and exploring such a historic and beautiful city.” On the opposite end of the venue spectrum but in the same city, the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has the capacity to hold a large-scale event for thousands of attendees without losing the city’s friendly, personable envi- ronment. After a thorough selection process, the EICC was chosen as the location for the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), an interna- tional organization whose membership consists primarily of research scientists and MDs. The event was executed by The Rees Group (TRG), based in Madison, WI. Brooke Miller, director of meetings for TRG, praised the EICC and its staff for meeting the client’s needs so perfectly. “We definitely needed a large footprint,” Milller says. “Attendance was over 1,100, which was super exciting. Last time this event was international was before COVID. The venue was fantastic to work with for us.” The meeting had an ambi- tious agenda — eight pre-con workshops, five keynote speak- ers, 10 breakout sessions and five scientific poster sessions. “We knew we needed a lot of space. Our goal is to always be under one roof, and the EICC offered our client a lot of flexible meeting space. We were allowed to spread out and have exclusivity as we needed to. It’s stacked, which is what’s unique about it. In the end, it really offered ease for attend- ees to get around. This was the perfect space for our group. It offered a lot of welcoming points.” As a nod to the host city, a female bagpiper was hired to play traditional Scottish music and stroll throughout the show floor. Miller praised the city of Edinburgh, which she says is easy to navigate. “The facility is in an excellent, excellent location. It was around so many attractions — you could get to every- thing in 15 minutes.” Miller and the TRG team worked closely with the Eding- burgh Internaitonal Conference Center to compile informa- tion for the attendees about places to see and things to do in and around Edinburgh. Attendees were encouraged to get out and explore the city. “We had a jam-packed four-day program. We really urged attendees to come in earlier or stay later to take advantage of the conference city or nearby cities because it’s so acces- sible,” she says. Miller urges other planners with association clients that meet internationally to hold events in tourist destinations if they have the budget. “Edinburgh is a tourist magnet,” she says. “From our AMC point of view, we now have firsthand experience that the city pulls attendees in. We’re excited the EICC is a venue where we can host memorable conferences. The city benefited us, the venue benefited us — we can co-exist.” EICC’s staff was top-notch and easy to work with. “I had the privilege to work with true professionals who know their craft. They were always visible on the show floor, working hard. The facility is large, but with the number of staff we saw on-site, it didn’t feel that way,” Miller says. “We noticed they cared about us and understood the goals we had for our client meeting. We felt like they were part of our team and we were part of their team. It was an excellent experience.” London An international exhibition and convention center located in the heart of London, ExCeL London has been hosting events for over 25 years and now averages 400 events a year. themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2024 With two airports and ample accomodations, Toronto attracts meeting planners seeking a modern destination with inspired dining, attractions and unique event venues. © DESTINATION TORONTO 14“This experience, combined with our dedicated in-house teams, means that we understand events; what event organizers need, having a flexible and agile approach, and overcoming any unforeseen challenges,” says Andrew Swanston, head of sales, conferences and events, ExCeL London. “We also boast one of the world’s most connected venues, with three train stations on our doorstep includ- ing London’s high-speed Elizabeth line which can transport delegates direct from Heathrow Airport — Europe’s largest — to ExCeL in just 45-minutes. “ExCeL is also an incredibly ver- satile venue with organizers enjoying working with our ‘blank canvas’ to create bespoke events for their clients,” adds Swanston, who urges planners to lean on their support teams, whether they utilize ExCeL’s various in-house teams at the planners’ discre- tion, or their own curated staff. “It’s important to leverage the support you have available, be it from the venue’s own team or from regional or profes- sional bodies. Here at ExCeL, we have in-house teams from media and marketing to catering and sustainability, who can all help organizers maximize their ROI and ensure the best pos- sible networking experience. Indeed, sustainability and CSR is a key area for us and an increasing trend for organizers so we can help plan and implement legacy programs within the local community.” ExCeL London checked all the necessary boxes for a large-scale conference staged by a U.S.-based technol- ogy organization. According to Gema Rodriguez, manag- ing director at TFI-Lodestar, the event firm who executed and oversaw the event, the organization made liberal use of ExCeL London’s various halls to accommodate the jam- packed agenda. The event welcomed over 6,000 attendees from around the world for five days of intense learning and networking. London was selected as the host city because of its stand- ing as a center of excellence in the robotics world; ultimately, ExCeL London was selected because, as Rodriguez says, “It’s one of the big venues. It’s very modern, but a large space to host a program as complex as this one for an interna- tional audience. It was the best venue equipped for this.” She praised ExCeL’s in- house team, saying “There needs to be an understanding of international conferences, and that’s something they do very well.” Besides the massive scope of the program that included numerous presenters, vendors and breakout ses- sions, the conference contained two unique elements. The first was a robotics competition open to local students. “This was something the association wanted to do — how to best get the next generation of students talking about robot- ics. ExCeL London and the head of competitions there was fantastic. The legacy programs are one thing that can set you apart.” The students were also able to participate in the ple- nary sessions. The second was bringing some of the sights, sounds and flavors of London’s most iconic neighborhoods into the venue. “We decided to use three halls in ExCeL and brought the ‘Lon- don Experience’ where we created different areas of London — Carnaby Street, Piccadilly Circus, and even brought in a per- formance from London’s West End, complete with signature British foods like fish and chips,” Rodriguez says. In a city with so much to offer, it was difficult for many of the attendees to see as many sights as they would’ve liked when they weren’t in sessions, so bringing a bit of the city to them helped add some “local flavor” to the schedule. Rodri- guez also had high praise for ExCeL’s accessibility and sus- tainability initiatives. “With 6,000 people coming from 66 countries, some of them needed accessibility aids. ExCeL had wheelchairs available, and the venue was made accessible. That’s something that’s very important nowadays. They think of all the audiences coming to the venue.” Undeniably, there’s incredible value to what business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, con- ferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities. With the meetings industry responding to accommodate new international travel “norms” that are not fleeting trends but instead long-term shifts, the industry is ever-changing, and innovative solutions have come to the forefront — from expanded booking capabilities to enhanced and well-defined strategic meetings programs. There is sim- ply no substitute for the power of in-person, face-to-face meetings and event travel — which generated nearly $120 billion in spending last year. | AC&F | MAY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Brooke Miller, CMP, VEMM Director of Meetings, The Rees Group Edinburgh is a tourist magnet. From our AMC point of view, we now have firsthand experience that the city pulls attendees in. © VISITLONDON.COM/BEN PIPE Brimming with tradition, London is a busy urban city with 164,000 hotel rooms to choose from. When not in meetings, attendees can explore the free museums, dive into world class cuisine and learn more about the history around every corner. 15INDUSTRY INSIGHT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2024 Contract Negotiations Identifying Roles, Responsibilities in a Very Complex Space By Maura Keller Dana Ellis, president & CEO of Ellis International, has worked with associa- tions and other organizations when estab- lishing contracts with vendors and other entities in the field. Ellis says the industry has seen a huge swing over the last five years or so regarding contract negotia- tions within the meetings and events industry. Pre-pandemic, it was very rare for any planners to negoti- ate or need to invoke the force majeure clause in a contract. Suddenly planners all had a need to postpone, rebook or cancel events. “How venues handled these changes has helped shape where we are today — and some handled them much better than others,” Ellis says. “This is probably one of the largest fac- tors in the last few years that has caused all of us to look more closely at all of the ‘standard’ clauses in contracts going forward.” Post- pandemic, the industry is seeing several other changes. As Ellis explains, it used to be more of a “buyer’s market” where a client could call up and book a venue for a large event two or three months before the event. Now that everyone is back to meeting in person, it’s more of a “seller’s market” in that the venue is booked up and organizations now need to be booking a year or more in advance. As such, venues are increasing fees for rental, food and beverage. as well as audio-visual elements. “They also are sneaking in new clauses and new rules which may cost you money. And, they have lost their long-time sales man- ager and the new person (who has no background in events, and possibly new to sales too) tells you, ‘It’s not possible’ to do something that you have been doing at that venue for years,’” F rom clarifying tasks to negotiating pricing, to complying with local laws and regulations, contract negotiations within the meeting and events industry play an important part in identifying parameters, roles and responsibilities on the part of organizations, venues, suppliers and planners. Dana Ellis President & CEO, Ellis International “The need for qualified meeting planners and producers, who know how to negotiate a good contract for a client, is needed more today than ever before.” WHERE IMAGINATION KNOWS NO LIMITS Meet the Moment Innovation is only the beginning. Discover a new standard of luxury at the reimagined Caribe Royale Orlando. 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