Characteristics of meeting and convention centres

When companies need to expand their commercial market or demand new technological solutions or are looking for investment opportunities it is time to go to a business center or conventions to close deals, know offers, make contacts and participate in the latest developments in innovation that are taking place.

If what the company needs is to promote alignment and motivate the organization or communicate results and future strategies or are launching a new product, brand or corporate image or present advances, studies and innovations on a particular topic then it is also time to organize an event at a convention center or meetings to put all members of the company in contact.

In Spain the most dynamic sectors when organising events and conventions are all those related to economic and commercial activities, the medical-sanitary sector, the public sector and the cultural sector.

Among the centres that organise the events are the specialised ones, such as the permanent Fairs in Madrid and Barcelona, and the hotels that make their investment profitable by renting the halls and taking advantage of the rest of their investment in the infrastructure. In the latter case, the organisation of this type of event has an impact on its turnover that can range from 5% to 30% or more depending on how the offer is complemented.

What are the requirements of the companies?

Companies demand a spacious and pleasant place to comfortably welcome participants by promoting productive and active meetings.
In these meetings the main objective is to carry out presentations and audiovisual projections with spaces fitted out as platforms or stages from which the speakers can participate in a dynamic way.

The facility to allow accommodation, which should not be far from the meeting place, is another requirement that joins to have solved the transport of participants. Another fundamental aspect is that of food, which should be as wide and varied as possible during the convention. During breaks and waits, a complete service will also be required for all attendees.

Other requirements are that the furniture is as adequate and modern as possible, with good communication equipment, Internet connectivity throughout the center and access to devices such as printers or scanners.

What types of offers exist in the market

These centres maintain a perfect symbiosis between tradition and the comfort of the people who stay and are able to complement the offer with alternative programmes for companions in the event that companies decide to invite the families of the participants.

In order to ensure customer satisfaction, these centres comply with the highest accredited quality certifications, with satisfaction surveys and permanent feedback from attendees.

Some of the aspects fulfilled by the Convention and Meeting Centres can be listed:

  • Quality gastronomic offer: restaurants, cafeterias, terraces, buffets and fast food areas are the options offered by these centers to attend the fair, congress or meeting.
  • Centres that respect the environment: these spaces make use of the natural resources in which they are installed, they are integrated into environments to enjoy nature, they have uses of natural ventilation systems during certain times of the year and they apply water treatment systems for rational consumption and enjoyment.
  • Rooms prepared with light and acoustics: these rooms offer meeting rooms with equipment adjusted to the needs of lighting and sound requirements.
  • Open-air terraces: in times of rest, it may be interesting to offer places for recreation such as terraces with sufficient facilities to encourage dialogue and informal participation.
  • Alternative leisure offer for the duration of the stay: among these possibilities are those of offering organised visits to specific places or participating in sports and wellness activities such as swimming pools or access to SPA areas.
  • Wi-Fi service: any convention center already offers wifi services to allow Internet connection between participants.
  • Location and transport: it is essential to allow access to the largest number of people from multiple origins. In an event of these characteristics the logistics is critical
  • Professional hostess service: as a help service and logistical support are useful and effective
  • Simultaneous translation service: in international meetings where commercial agreements can be made, translation services are essential.

In the event that the company has to organize events will have to have specialized advice because you can not leave details to chance, it is very important to know the needs of the convention to be held (training course or product presentation or General Meeting).

Also it will be necessary to inventory all the candidates options to take the best decision (the web pages already offer virtual visits that can be of help), to assure the capacity and that there are no problems of space also demands all the attention in the organization not to leave anything to chance.

The set of services to be offered in this type of event must be closed in advance: hostesses, simultaneous translation, catering, etc. must be agreed to avoid surprises.

The location can be key depending on the points of origin of the participants, if they come by plane better near an airport and if they are members of a building, logistics and transportation can be arranged from the same workplace.

Finally, adjust the timetables of the participations because the use of rental spaces can be triggered when there are mismatches outside the pacts made.

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