News & Updates

Enticing Guests to your Event

Through Destination Selection . . .

Selecting a desirable destination for your Conference, Travel Incentive or Event is a key factor in motivating your audience to attend.

The Event location should entice your guests and provide them with a sense of excitement of discovering a new place or being able to experience a familiar location with new eyes.

Destination selection must consider affordability, availability, seasonality and business travel mandates. An added bonus would be if it supports the theme or content of the program. Also, take into account previous event destinations considering what worked and what didn’t.

Are you growing your event destination inline with your business results? For example: If you have always had your event on the Gold Coast and have just had a bumper year, is it time to expand your horizons and deliver something new & different such as Fiji or Bali. It is important to consider options for the next 3-5 years and not get too far ahead with your destination choice only to have to go backwards in the future. Give yourself space to grow.

The perfect destination will consider the following factors:

• The excitement & appropriateness of the location for the attendees. Is it a highly desirable place to visit?
• Does this destination work in with the event budget? Are you going to spend all of the funds just covering first class accommodation but have little left for the content or social activities?
• The climate. Investigate the weather patterns for the time of year you’re planning to travel. Often a location will offer very desirable rates in Cyclone season!! Obviously, this can be a false economy.
• The location Infrastructure. Are there enough professional & quality suppliers/venues to support your event? Are there activities/restaurants/bars for your guests to enjoy both during the structured leisure sessions and also for their free time?
• Event Filters. Work out your program objectives and ensure each activity meets these objectives E.G. Does the activity showcase this destination or is it something you can do anywhere in the world i.e. Dog Sledding on an Alaskan Glacier OR Golf. Can the activity be done by any individual anytime or only as part of this group? Does the activity offer first class bragging rights for the guests to talk about after the program. Firstly, work out what is the most important to you and your guests. Then run all of the options through these filters, it certainly helps to clarify things and produce the most desirable program.
• Options for pre/post event stays. How can the guests make the most of their attendance at your event?
• How easy is the destination to get to? Realistically, what is the travel time and cost for those guests who are paying their own way?
• How safe is the destination? Is it politically stable? The Australian Government provides a free service to advise the latest information and travel warnings. smartraveller.gov.au

Client Comments . . .

“The Best Ever” is what our guests were telling us – as you were fully aware because they were also telling you and you should feel proud. Thank you for all your hard work in helping make our group have a memorable time, which indeed has set high expectations for next year.” SM, Westpac

The team at Synergy Events would be happy to work through Destination Selection with you to ensure you are on track for a great result!