Trends in event planning.

• Author: Ash, Stephanie
• Position: SPECIAL REPORT: CONFERENCE, CONVENTION AND EVENT PLANNING

Events and conferences are big business in Northern Ontario and not just for hotels and convention centres. From corporations to non-profit associations, the many benefits of hosting proprietary, face-to-face events are being increasingly recognized across all sectors.

But as events become a more vital component of annual marketing strategies, there is growing competition for participants, profile and sponsorship dollars. This has resulted in a demand for higher hospitality standards and greater industry expectations; a ham sandwich and a gift bag simply won't cut it in today's market.

Nowadays, events and conferences must be planned and executed right if they are to help an organization reach its goals and guarantee an enhanced return on investment. As organizations grow more event savvy and event planners strive for individuality, a number of new trends are emerging.

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Theme and focus

Successful event models must have a strong theme and a clearly defined focus to attract the right participants and sponsors. With so many events to choose from, executives want to know that an event is deserving of their valuable time and resources and that the content will turn them into more valuable employees. Executives are seeking interactive experiences that offer new industry information and specific skills that can be applied to their own areas of influence. The most popular are events that emphasize education and knowledge sharing, with promotional and entertainment tactics being integrated into the learning process, rather than front and centre. An agenda that includes tried and tested case studies, on-site peer-to-peer training, and exclusive industry insight will add credibility and compel executives to attend in order to remain competitive within their field.

Location

In recent years, many organizations have adopted a regional focus to their event-planning strategies, moving away from metropolitan cities like Toronto in favor of smaller urban centres. The Ontario Injury Prevention Conference for example now rotates between Toronto and a regional venue, and is slated for Thunder Bay in June 2007.

Responding to this trend, Northern Ontario cities like Thunder Bay and Sudbury are taking the potential economic and social benefits of event hosting seriously by offering event-planning assistance services and supporting local bid applications. The City of Thunder Bay, which has over 90 conferences and events registered with its...