Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

Is your convention or event accessible? I am not speaking about the ADA and whether persons with disabilities are able to attend, I am talking about whether the event itself is easily accessible.  I recently agreed to speak at an event that is in a very nice place that is out of the way in a quiet setting. We have a very nice location and the hotel is going to be a very beautiful setting.  The problem is not the location as it relates to the experience while there, the problem  as I see it is how to get into and out of the location from all over the country.

I will be flying a few hours to get to the nearest large city, will then have to rent a car to get the the smaller town that is not as accessible by commercial airlines.  This creates a hardship on the speakers, and those attendees that will be coming from places that are not necessarily easily traveled by car.  This needs to be taken into account when making plans or when planning the date and location of your event.

I love speaking at smaller events that provide a good setting for learning and for a closer dialogue between the experts speaking and the attendees. I really like a out of the way place that also allows attendees and those involved to have a near vacation like experience.  The problem is it has to be accessible and it has to be able to allow people to get there and out of the location as quickly as possible and with the least amount of cost. This will allow you to have better attendance and a better overall experience. These issues will allow you to have better attendance for years to come.

I talked about it becoming convention season in the last post and that means it is back to setting up and tearing down your exhibit booth space.  If you are a small business it means probably getting the most bang for your buck in the area of a display that is easy to set up can be done with only one person and can be checked in as luggage when you travel.  I have been looking around recently at some of the display companies because I too will be needing to get a display booth that is for people on the move.

I spend about one week a month in the first six month of the season going to a couple of large shows and then a few small events and then a final large one before going in to work mode.  I am always looking for ease of use.  There are many companies out there that offer a portable display that is easy to set up and can make your company look professional and certainly won’t break the bank.  In today’s economy, the latter part of that equation is a must.  You can’t spend a whole bank account of your marketing budget only to not be able to recover that cost on the road.  I am actually in the market for a portable display that will fit nicely and look professional in the 10 x 10 booth space or in the corner of a small event.  Portable displays are a great asset and if you find a company that provide this service let me know I would love to speak to them.

Our next stop* was the Wailea Beach Resort and Spa of the Marriott chain of resorts.  It was a great location and was just minutes from where I would be taking my dip in the Pacific Ocean and even closer to that soaring helicopter ride over the islands.  They offer a very nice room and have some great amenities. Their meeting room and accommodations include this:

We strive for excellence in everything we do, including offering you meeting options that bring the Marriott experience to every event. Here are a few reasons why the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is a great choice for your next meeting.

• 21 meeting rooms and 45,000 square feet of total meeting space.
• 60,000 square feet of outdoor function space for events of up to 1,000 attendees.
• The rooftop Pacific Terrace boasts 16,000 square feet of event space under the stars.
• Multiple flexible breakout rooms.
• Lokelani Ballroom features award-winning murals.
• The latest in-house audiovisual presentation technology and wireless Internet access in all meeting rooms and guest rooms.
• The resort’s professional sales staff is ready to assist with any event.
• Creative catering and theme parties customizable for quick service and affordability.

I was very pleased with the fresh pineapple infused cold water they offered in the lobby.  I guess it the the trivial things we tend to remember.  I was also given an opportunity to meet with a local chef and watch as he made an awesome Ahi Tuna dish that I was able to sample. We were given a tour of a cool lettuce farm and a mushroom farm.  It seems that if you can provide a product that does not have to be imported from the mainland or other places afar, you have a leg up on your competition and can make a good living.  I think I’ll stick to what I do instead of watching mushrooms grow, although, the scenery is nice.

They do it right on Maui and the Marriott was no exception.

Photo Via: Marriott Wailea Beach Resort and Spa

*This trip was sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority as a part of the So Much More Hawaii Tour.

I was just thinking as I sit here working in the Reno Airport, I love the fact that they have free Wifi.  My hometown of Denver also provides this free of charge to travelers. As we begin to get more and more connected via the social web, we seem to need more and more access to the Internet. I can do lots of work while I travel if I had the ability to stay connected.  We are beginning to see this also with our mobile phones.  I can check email, stay connected with friends and family and actually get a few things done while I sit and wait for a plane.  There is a list of airports that provide free Internet services and I keep it in my laptop bag for when I travel.  I’m about to head to Phoenix, then to Denver to get a little bit of sleep and then head to San Francisco for the week.  I wonder if I can stay connected in any of those cities?  Airports, hotels, conventions centers, do you provide a way for people to stay connected?  Perhaps you are a business and provide an allowance for this as a cost of doing business for your employees?  I travel quite a bit and need to be connected,  how do you stay connected while you travel?  If you are like me, we do it any way we can.