Business Event Management: Choosing the Right Venue for the Australian Food for Future Convention and Exposition

Business Event Management (7228THS_3245)

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Executive Summary

This report focuses on the topic of event management, particularly the practice and processes of selecting venues for events. In this case, the report discusses the considerations and procedures for choosing an event venue for the Australian Food for Future Convention and Exposition. This includes a discussion of relevant criteria and the process involved in selecting the event in this particular scenario. Additionally, a justification for the selection of the venue has also been provided, as to why the venue identified is suitable for the concerned event and has been described in the report for the analysis of the future suitability of the site.

Introduction

Though there are many considerations go into planning a memorable event, finding the right venue is without a doubt the most important component that can make or break an event. It sets the tone for the event, affecting the overall experience, the attendance, and so on (Getz & Page, 2019). A poorly chosen venue can result in negative reviews, low attendance, and even a loss of revenue (Hassanien & Dale, 2011). As the Event Organiser for the Australian Food for Future Convention and Exposition (AFFCE), the role calls for selecting an appropriate venue for the convention. To that end, the discussion in this report will focus on determining a site/venue for the convention based on relevant questions.

Discussion

1. Purpose of site/venue selection

In this case, the purpose of venue selection is to host a convention for the AFFCE. In addition, it is important to ensure that the selected venue site offers the best visitor experience alongside additional benefits and facilities, while also meeting the requirements for planning a socially and environmentally responsible event. Essentially, the aim is to ensure that the venue contributes to the success of the event, making it easier to plan the event without compromising on any aspect, be it the number of attendees, the ease of installing different fixtures, and so on.

2. Site/venue selection criteria

When selecting an appropriate venue for the event, there are certain criteria that need to be taken into consideration. That said, in this case, towards selecting a venue for the convention, the following criteria have been deemed important:

• Location –This is undoubtedly the most important criterion when selecting a venue, as convenience and accessibility are crucial factors which affect guest/visitor experience. Selecting a venue which is easily accessible to the invitees is important and can affect their level of satisfaction. As such, the location is, without a doubt, the first and foremost criteria to consider when selecting a venue (Crouch & Louviere, 2004).

• Capacity – This criterion sounds simple, but is equally important as the location, if not more. A venue cannot be deemed suitable without it being able to accommodate the anticipated guest list. It is also important to ensure that there is adequate space for the guests to sit and move about comfortably, lest it becomes uncomfortable. As such, it is important to select a venue which has adequate space to accommodate the expected number of guests (Rogers & Davidson, 2015).

• Cost and logistics – When planning an event, the cost is definitely a factor, as there is nothing like an infinite budget. As such, the cost of the venue is something that needs to be considered when determining a venue. This includes taking into account the facilities and amenities available, such as the possible options available when it comes to lighting and sound, availability of screens if required, parking spaces, washrooms, and so on (The Woodrose, 2019). Overall, it is important to consider the costs of the different facilities and amenities when selecting a venue.

• Food and beverages – No event is complete without food and beverages, and as such, it needs to be considered when selecting a venue. This means finding out whether the venue offers catering services them, or if allows for hiring a third-party caterer. It also includes assessing the cuisine and type of beverages available.

• Ambience – The ambience of the venue is important as it can complement the type of event being held. For instance, a venue with a U-shaped and boardroom-type seating will surely not be ideal for a wedding. Given this, it is important to consider ambience when selecting a venue.

• Staff and security – Lastly, staff and security are also something to take into account as they help prevent and prepare for unexpected complications and risks (Allen et al., 2022).

Overall, these criteria have been applied to determine the appropriate venue for the convention.

3. Procedure to choose the most appropriate site/venue

Having outlined the criteria for selecting a venue, these aspects need to be inculcated into the procedure for selecting an appropriate venue. In this case, the procedure that has been followed to choose the most appropriate venue involved the following steps:

1. Before initiating the process of searching for a venue, the requirements of the event were defined and listed, as it would help streamline the process of selecting the venue.

2. Subsequently, research was conducted to shortlist potential venues that met the event requirements, especially when it came to location, capacity, and cost.

3. After creating the shortlist, each of the identified venues was visited to assess if they were suitable for the event in question. This allowed for enquiring and getting insights into the amenities available, the ambience, staff and security, and other specifics.

4. With each of the venues visited and an overall picture of what they offer obtained, the cost-to-value of each was evaluated against the budget and terms and conditions, followed by reviewing the contract and booking the venue by making the required deposit (Events Outsourced, 2024).

4. Justification

All said and done, the venue that has been selected for the convention is the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC). Founded in 1995, the BCEC is owned by South Bank Corporation on behalf of the government of Queensland (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, 2024a). The reason for the choice is that it many of the requirements for the event, including the location which is easily accessible using public transport, with the South Brisbane Railway Station adjacent to the venue, alongside several bus stops nearby (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, 2024b). The Centre offers an impressive portfolio of meeting and event spaces, with the Great Hall offering a seating capacity of 620, which was adequate for the proposed convention. It also has amenities like parking space and is within the spectrum of what the AFFCE considers affordable (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, 2024c). Overall, the venue was determined to be the most appropriate for the proposed event.

Conclusion

This report has presented a brief but detailed discussion related to selecting an appropriate event venue. This has included a brief outline of the purpose of selecting the venue, followed by a list of criteria that the selection process was based on, including describing why these criteria were important. Subsequently, the selection process itself was detailed in the report. Lastly, the selected venue was identified, with the justification for the choice also highlighted within the discussion. Overall, from this, it is evident that the practice of event management, particularly venue selection is a complicated process.

Reference List

Allen, J., Harris, R., & Jago, L. (2022). Festival & special event management. John Wiley & Sons.https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Festival_Special_Event_Management_Essent/fbIxEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. (2024a). About Us. https://bcec.com.au/about-us/

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. (2024b). Visiting the Centre. https://bcec.com.au/visit/

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. (2024c). Rooms & Spaces. https://bcec.com.au/organise/rooms-spaces/

Crouch, G. I., & Louviere, J. J. (2004). The determinants of convention site selection: A logistic choice model from experimental data. Journal of travel research, 43(2), 118-130.https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287504268233

Events Outsourced. (2024). 6 Simple Steps for selecting a venue for your eventhttps://eventsoutsourced.com.au/selecting-a-venue/

Getz, D., & Page, S. J. (2019). Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429023002

Hassanien, A., & Dale, C. (2011). Toward a typology of events venues. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 2(2), 106-116.https://doi.org/10.1108/17582951111136540

Rogers, T., & Davidson, R. (2015). Marketing destinations and venues for conferences, conventions and business events. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315723716

The Woodrose. (2019). 8 Things to Consider When Choosing Your Event Venue. https://woodroseclub.com/8-things-to-consider-when-choosing-your-event-venue/