Meeting demands

Thousands of events and conferences are held in the UAE each year, with a tremendous amount of planning going into them beforehand. But what are events organisers looking for when they try to create the perfect event for a client, and what do venues simply have to have in orderto fit the bill?

One of the first concerns an events organiser will have is a rather obvious one, according to Lesley Fair, Director, Custard Communications. "Probably the one thing you can't get around regardless of the brief is that the space offered by the venue has to fit the agenda and function of the event," she says.

Christina Anthony, sales and marketing director at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), agrees. "Show organisers have a fairly standard set of requirements; flexibility of the event space and the ability to customise to needs such as break-out areas, presentations and live demonstrations are always [features] they are interested in," she says.

New venue advantages

Other physical considerations exist too. "The age of the property can be an attraction — everyone wants to work in the newest venue and be among the first to use it," says Fair.

"Proximity to an airport is important if guests are arriving from overseas, [and] facilities and entertainment off-site can also be significant if components of the event require off-site dinners or activities."

Anthony notes event organisers planning an event that requires attendees to stay overnight may also need to ensure accommodation is available on-site, and events that continue over meal-times will need to be catered for accordingly. Easy car parking facilities can also be an attractive feature, she says.

And, of course, there are more materialistic aspects of a venue that may need to be considered. "Physical attributes to a venue are always a hit with clients, such as a nice outdoor venue near some water or with an attractive view, [as a] venue next to water lends a relaxing ambience to an event, " Fair explains, adding that such attributes may also fit in with the purpose of the event. "A great view of the Shaikh Zayed Mosque for a cultural event where people come in from out of town, or The Gate at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for a financial client, can be a subtle reminder of the purpose behind the event."

The sheer number of exclusive, luxurious venues in the UAE makes for an easy job when choosing a venue for a client who requests something exceptional, says Fair. "The perceived prestige of the venue can be important to clients, but with the amazing choice of venues and hotel properties in the UAE, this is a straightforward requirement to fulfil in terms of a client brief," she explains.

Some other physical features may not be so easily found, however. "Ease and physical beauty of the access route can be very important.If guests are arriving to the venue under their own steam rather than being transported by the client, a venue that is well known is helpful and organisers can be put off if the route in is blighted by construction or holes in the road."

Anthony says ease of access is important for event organisers as well as attendees, as they will need to set up and dismantle their event without difficulty.

On the technical side, internet facilities — and indeed, with no extra cost — are one of the most important features, says Fair. "All hotels have internet these days for their own needs, but many don't provide this as a matter of course to clients, or charge for it despite already having IT services on site. We always favour hotels with free internet or negotiate it into a contract because even if the client doesn't need it, as the organiser, we do in order to ensure smooth running, especially with large teams. We often and can't function on behalf of the client without it."

And of course, organisers want to be able to work with teams they can trust to deliver. "One consideration that can make it infinitely easierto organise an event is the venue team," says Fair. "It's not essential as we can work with anyone, but it can be an influencing factor; if the venue team is accommodating, helpful, relatively relaxed and professional it can contribute to the success of an event because it means that as event organiser you can focus on other areas that need your attention rather than worrying if the venue team are going to perform as briefed."

Little details that make a difference
Anthony agrees. "Event organisers are looking to work with a professional team with experience in handling all manner of events and situations," she says. "The ability to guarantee confidentiality is also important. Given shows at our venue attract a number of dignitaries, advice on protocol and security are key elements ADNEC assists organisers with."

While many of the considerations mentioned are major factors in planning and organising an event, Fair says it is sometimes the little details that make the biggest difference to clients. "Added value services that help to make an event unique, [such as] a bespoke menu, signature drinks, touches to the service or access to special venues are all added bonuses that can endear a venue to a client because it makes us all look good in the end," she explains.