This chapter discusses site and venue selection for MICE events. It covers establishing the aims and objectives of events to ensure the selected site and venue match. Key factors that influence destination selection include accommodation availability, convention space, convenience, costs, and destination image. The chapter also outlines preparing a meeting brief detailing event needs. Site selection aims to reassure organizers the destination and venue can professionally meet expectations.

1. Chapter 4
Managing Site and
Venue Selection in
MICE Event
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2. Introduction
• This chapter moves into the area of site and venue selection and
the criteria that convention and meeting organisers may use to
establish beneficial destinations for their particular event
requirements.
• The chapter steps students through the process, from setting
objectives for the event, through the bid process itself to evaluating
the quality of service from a site or venue.
• Students should keep in mind the symbiotic relationship between
the fundamental reasons for holding an event and the site and
venue selection process.
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3. Outlines
1. The role of destinations in business travel
and tourism
2. Managing Site and Venue Selection
2.1 Establishing the aims & objective of the events
2.2 Site and Destination Selection
2.3 Venue Selection
2.3 Bidding Process
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4. The role of destinations in
business travel and tourism
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5. The definition of a destination
• The destination is a place where the main focus of
the business travel trip will be, whether a
conference, a sales mission or an incentive travel
package.
• Destinations can be viewed on a number of different
geographical levels, from whole countries, through
regions, to a rural area, an individual city or a
single coastal resort.
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6. The distinction between destinations and venues
• Venues are supposed to provide one or some of the
services needed by the traveller, while destinations
overall are meant to provide virtually every service
the traveller needs.
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7. The history of business tourism destinations
• Destinations have realized that business tourism
brings great benefits and every year new
destinations try to attract convention, exhibition and
incentive travel business.
• The reasons for this are not hard to identify, for
business tourism has a number of advantages over
leisure tourism.
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8. The history of business tourism destinations
• Business tourism tends to be less seasonal than
• leisure tourism, and it is complementary to leisure
tourism in that it:
is in full swing in the months which are the off-peak
season for leisure tourism
fills hotels on weekdays but leaves them empty for
the leisure tourist at the weekends.
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9. The destination product
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10. The destination product
• The destination, like all tourism products, is a mixture of
tangible and intangible elements.
• The intangible elements are vital to the success or otherwise
of a destination, but they are often highly subjective and are
subject to customers’ perceptions.
• These perceptions include issues such as:
1. whether or not the destination is seen as safe, secure and stable
2. the perceived ambience and atmosphere
3. the degree to which the destination is seen to be friendly or not
4. the perceived efficiency and reliability of services within the
destination.
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11. Typology of Destinations
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12. Typology of Destinations
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13. Typology of Destinations
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14. Conference and convention destinations
‘Conference organizers attach greater importance to
‘location’ (destination) than any other single criterion
when selecting their sites.’
• Most conferences take place in large urban areas or coastal
resorts. The destination has to offer:
1. a suitable venue for the meeting or meetings
2. sufficient accommodation if the venue is non-residential
3. attractions for successful social and/or partner programmes
4. good accessibility to the generating market(s)
5. efficient transport systems within the destination.
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15. The links with leisure tourism
• Many decisions concerning the selection of
conference destinations are heavily influenced by
the recognition that delegates will often decide to
attend if they perceive the destination to be
attractive for leisure activities.
• There are three links between business tourism and
leisure travel that have implications for destinations:
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16. The links with leisure tourism
1. Business travellers become leisure travellers when the working
day is over, whatever time of the day this may be.
2. Many conferences have social programmes of leisure activities for
delegates. These may take place in the evenings or even in the
daytime. Alternatively, or additionally, they can also feature post-
conference tours which take place once the conference has
ended.
3. Partners often accompany business tourists on their trips, and
while the business tourist is working, the partner is free to act as
a leisure tourist. Once the working day is over they will usually
couple.
become a leisure couple.
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17. Managing Site and
Venue Selection
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18. Establishing the aims &
objective of the events
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19. Establishing the aims & objective of the events
• The selection of a destination, location/site and
venue is one of the key decisions made in the
planning of the events
• Destination, location, site and venue of the event
should match with the goals and objectives of the
event, and the need of the delegates to the
distributes that are provided by destination &
venue
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20. Aims & objectives of the event
• Conferences and meeting have been identified as a mean of
achieving the following aims
1. to enhance communication by providing a pool of shared
knowledge
2. to provide a forum for the generation of new ideas
3. to generate a spirit of cooperation that contributes to the
formulation of a collective entity
4. to obtain increased commitment to decisions by involving more
people in the decision-making process
5. to provide an opportunity to promote the collective aims of the
organization
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21. How the events create changes
results/
anticipated results/outcome of the event
1. Change in information
2. Change in understanding
3. Change in skills
4. Change in effort & motivation
5. Change in behavior
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22. How the events create changes
1. Change in information
Might included educating delegates with
respect to new products, market,
policies and company direction.
2. Change in understanding
The purpose of the conference might
be to explain or defend new policies or
procedures that are to be introduced
into the organization.
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23. How the events create changes
3. Change in skills
This is an important subject for many conferences, for example Time
Management, improving product knowledge and Human resource
management issues.
4. Change in effort & motivation
The objective of the conference might be to encourage and motivate
delegates to work more efficiently or effectively, work harder and be more
enthusiastic.
5. Change in behavior
As a result of attendance at the conference, participants might be required
to do things differently.
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24. Site and Destination
Selection
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25. Site Selection
• In the selection destination on venue, the conference
organizer and client organization are seeking reassurance
from the team involved that it is professional and
competent, and able to “make it happen”.
• Thus they need to know that that destination and venue
are able to meet their need and provide an event that will
fulfill and hopefully exceed all expectations.
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26. Preparation of convention & meeting briefs
1. size of group
2. profile of potential delegate
3. characteristics or history of the
organization or group
4. desire image of prestige
5. preferred dates or time of the
event & alternative dates
6. estimated numbers of rooms
and types of accommodation
required
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27. Preparation of convention & meeting briefs
7. Breakdown numbers, sizes, types and potential uses of
numbers, sizes,
meeting rooms
8. notes on the times when rooms are required
9. preferred mode of transport to access the venue or
location
10. F&
types of F&B services
11. space requirement
12. special activities & functions
13. budgets & financial matters
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28. Key factors influencing the selection a destination
1. the range & availability of accommodation
2. the type, range & availability of convention,
space
3. the convenience of the destination
4. the cost of the destination (costs of living)
5. the image of the city or destination
6. the drawing power of the city or destination
7. the access to transport and infrastructure
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29. Other variables impact on the selection of a site
1. Size of the group
2. Characteristics of the organization
3. Timing
4. Season and climate
5. Holiday Periods
6. Cost
7. Transport
8. Pre and Post conference tour,
Recreational activities and Entertainment
9. Other events
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30. Convention Site Selection Factors
Accessibility
• Cost- the monetary expense of transportation and access
• Time- the duration/destination of travel involved and the
opportunity cost of that time
• Frequency- the frequency of connections to the site
• Convenience- the scheduling convenience of the connections
• Barriers- the extent of any travel formalities that inhibit travel such
as visas, customs, etc.
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31. Convention Site Selection Factors
Extra Conference Opportunities
• Entertainment- restaurant, bar, theaters, night club, etc.
• Shopping- malls, major department stores, low prices, etc.
• Sightseeing- architecture, museums, monuments, attractions, park,
historical sites, local tours, etc.
• Recreation- sports and activities either as spectator or participant
• Professional opportunities- visiting local clients, negotiation,
business deal, selling, marketing contracts, etc.
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32. Convention Site Selection Factors
Accommodation Facilities
• Capacity- the number of rooms available and whether more than a
single hotel is required
• Cost- the cost of suitable accommodation at the site
• Service- the perception of the standards of services
• Security- the extent to which the hotels provide a safe and secure
environment
• Availability- are the facilities available?
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33. Convention Site Selection Factors
Meeting Facilities
• Capacity- ability of site to provide suitably sized facilities
• Layout- suitable of the facilities layout and floor plan
• Cost- the cost of meeting space required
• Ambience- the ability of the facility to create an appropriate
atmosphere and environment
• Service- the perception of the standard of service
• Security- the extent to which the facilities provides a safe and
secure meeting space
• Availability- are the facilities available when required?
• Experience- has the site performed satisfactorily in the past?
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34. Convention Site Selection Factors
Information
• Reputation- what is the reputation of
the destination among other meeting
planners?
• Marketing- the effectiveness of the
destination’
destination’s marketing activities
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35. Convention Site Selection Factors
Site Environment
• Climate- the desirability of the destination’s climate
destination’
• Setting- the attractiveness of the destination’s
destination’
surroundings
• Infrastructure- the suitability and standard of local
infrastructure
• Hospitality- the extent to which the host organizations
and community excel in welcoming visitors
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36. Convention Site Selection Factors
Other Criteria
• Risks- the possibility of strikes, nature disasters, boycotts, and
other adverse events
• Profitability- the extent to which the site would produce a profit
or loss for the convention
promotion-
• Association promotion- would the site add credibility to the
association and build membership?
• Novelty- the extent to which the destination represents a novel
association’
location for the association’s next convention
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37. Venue Selection
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38. Venue Selection
• Site or destination and venue selection usually occur at the
same time
• The most important criteria in selecting venue:
– number, size & quality of meeting rooms
– flexible F&B and room rates
– number, size & quality of accommodation
– quality of F&B services
• Other considerations might include audiovisual capabilities,
facility to separate corporate delegates from other hotel
guests, etc.
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39. Venue’
Venue’s physical attributes
4.1 Location “is the key”; e.g.
• A city center venue should be in
proximity with CBD, restaurants, bars,
transport systems and other hotels
• A suburban venue usually provides
excellent parking facilities and may be
located near shopping centers and
should have transport links with airports
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40. Venue’
Venue’s physical attributes
4.2 Convention & meeting rooms
• Number, size & distribution of the
conference & meeting rooms together
with their ability at the time of event
• proximity of the meeting rooms to
other areas, e.g. food centers, toilets,
telephone, etc.
• soundproofing capabilities, subdivided
movable walls
• availability of sound systems &
acoustics within the room
• provision of suitable lighting
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41. Venue’
Venue’s physical attributes
4.2
4.2 Convention & meeting rooms (cont.)
• provision of location of electric power
sockets
• floor loading and entry access points
• visual clearance in the meeting rooms
• availability of natural light and/or blackout
facilities
• lifts or escalators and disabled access
locations
• proximity and access of the meeting rooms
and exhibition areas to the loading bays for
the delivery of equipment
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42. Venue’
Venue’s physical attributes
4.3
4.3 Accommodation
– level or variety of luxury
– location & accessibility
– cleanliness
– configuration of rooms
4.4
4.4 Other variables
– renovations and building plans
– other groups using the facilities
at the same time
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43. Bidding Process
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44. Bidding Process
• A good relationship is normally built up between the potential
buyers and the destinations, its CVB and venues
• Then, it continues to develop throughout the bid or proposal
process….continues to pre-event planning and operational
stages of actual event
• In the preparation of bid document, CVB is to provide
assistance to PCOs, hosts or event planners
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45. CVB & Associations
• identify “buying center”, e.g. a typical buying center for an
center”
association comprises five to eight people; board of
directors, executive committee, site selection committee,
association president, executive organizer,
• for instance destination, site or venue to be selected are
based on the information that is supplied to the association
by destination (PCOs, event planners)
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46. CVB & Associations
• Factors affecting an association’s decision to select a
potential destination include
1. the “buy class”; or “modified rebuy” and “offers
class”
something new” – Sth different sth new
2. “power relationship”; the balance of power relation
relationship
ship”
among members within association’s buying center
3. “risk” in terms of “Financial Risk”, “Consequential
risk”
Risk”, “Social Risk” and “Physical Risk”
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47. Familiarization tours & site
inspections
inspections Tours”
Familiarization tours & site inspections “famil
inspections
• Famil tours bring together to one city at the same time, several
executives from different organizations with the support of a
sponsoring airline, local hotels and attractions
• Famil tours aim at providing a general overview of the
destination’s capabilities for handling the events
• Major objectives of the famil tours are to overcome possible risks
(including financial, consequential, social and physical risk)
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48. inspections
inspections
tour” include:
A typical “famil tour” include:
1. a general orientation of the destination, visiting location,
MICE facilities, attractions, CVBs, retailed stores,
restaurants, hotels, etc.
2. an explanation of the transport mechanisms available
there (area - various conventions - hotels - airports)
3. inspection tours of relevant hotels, venues, etc.
4. an overview of any events, attractions or activities that
are unique to the destination
5. details of any particular selling points of the destination
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49. Summary
• Prior to deciding on the destination and venue for a
convention or meeting, it is necessary for the
conference organizer and client organization to
determine what the organization whishes to achieved
from the event and establish the aims and objectives
for the event.
• There are a number of factors and variables that
may influence the selection of a destination by a
conference organizer and client organization.
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50. Summary
• The professional compilation and presentation of a bid
document by the potential destination or venue, addressing
the needs of the clients organization, is key in gaining the
opportunity to host a particular convention or meeting.
• As with the selection of a destination, there are a number
of factors that may affect the choice of venue. These
include not only the physical attributes of the venue such
as its location and the facilities available, but also the more
intangible aspects such as quality of service.
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51. Discussion Questions
1. How might the aims and objectives of a convention or
meeting influence the selection of a site or venue?
2. Identify the aims and objectives for a management
development program for a group of travel agency
managers. Outline the factors that should be considered
in the development of a brief for this management
development program.
3. What is the difference between a site inspection and a
'famil tour'?
4. What is a bid? Why is it important? Discuss the steps
involved in developing a bid proposal.
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