Does your place of business choose a different city in which to hold a conference each year? If you are the person in charge of planning the venue, from selecting a hotel with conference rooms in it to arranging for a tour guide, here are some ideas that might help you. 

Select A Hotel 

Finding a hotel that has conference rooms in it will more than likely be a lot easier than you thought it would be. That is especially true if you are going to a large city that draws many tourists and businesses. For example, if the city has a convention center, there are probably many hotels in that area. In turn, those hotels probably cater to businesses who bring money to the city. That's also true for the airport area. If you want to be close to the airport, you will more than likely have many choices of hotels that offer meeting venue services.

When you reserve rooms in the hotel, besides reserving guest rooms, be sure to state what kind of conference rooms you will need. For example, if your group will be dividing for workshops, you will probably need small rooms. If you will be having a keynote speaker or a presentation for a large group, obviously you'll need a large conference room. The hotel will probably be ready to set up tables, chairs, screens, and any other equipment that you might need.

Plan A Tour 

Of course, visiting a new city for your business meeting holds more interest when those who attend the conference know that they'll get to see the sights. And if spouses have been invited to the conference, you'll want to offer activities for them. Consider hiring a professional guide to take everybody on a walking tour of the historic part of the city you are visiting. If your group is large enough, consider making arrangements to secure a double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus with a guide to tell about the sights along the way.

If you do plan a tour, consider having enough time for shopping. Another idea is to point out restaurants in the area and allowing those in your group to eat in the restaurant of their own choice. Be specific about when your group needs to meet to return to your hotel or to continue on with the tour. Think about ending the conference with a catered meal right in the hotel. 

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