Bigger isn't Better When Choosing Destinations

Bigger isn't always better. In fact, when reviewing destinations for your upcoming conference, meeting or convention, 'bigger' is seldom better. There are multiple reasons many groups automatically look at large or first-tier cities for their conferences; hotel choice, transportation and attractions are a few. If you haven't widened your search and considered some mid-sizer cities lately, there are many more reasons you should.

Bigger cities come with a plethora of headaches for both planners and attendees.  Crowded airports, high room rates, outrageous room taxes, contentious labor issues, and small fish/big pond syndrome are just some of the challenges when planning a meeting in a large/first-tier city. Luckily there are MANY mid-size cities that offer every single one of the elements needed for a great meeting.

Hotel rates and room taxes can be up to fifty percent lower in a smaller convention city. Mid-size or second/third tier cities often offer incentives and huge discounts on their convention space giving groups the options of a larger convention center/exhibit space well within their budget. Add that to lower labor costs/fewer labor issues and a meeting is much more attractive to both planners and attendees. Most smaller cities have several major chain hotels as well as a few local ones so planners can offer attendees a choice of options, greatly lowering their risk of attrition.

Airports in mid-size cities tend to offer much shorter check-in/out times and statistically have much higher on-time departure ratings. With our highly mobile society most cities now have airports offering direct flights to many major cities. If your attendees are flying in from all over the country/world, they are likely to have a change of plane regardless of their destination. And smaller cities have reasonable travel times from airport to downtown and often have complimentary shuttles.

Local intimate restaurants with world-class food are staples in mid-size convention cities. Mid-size cities always have hidden gems unique to their geography and culture. VIP tours, attendance at sporting events, large art festivals, historic venues and great outdoor activities are available in all of the best convention cities. Having a city choice that encourages attendees to come in early and stay late is always popular with planners because these 'shoulder' reservations boost overall room night counts and offer another attrition buffer.

Most importantly, a mid-size convention city is just that. Taking 600-1000 people to a large city will always make you one of many in town that week.  Taking that same group to a top-of-the-line mid-size convention city makes you the only game in town. Restaurants staff up, taxi-cab companies are on alert, and the hospitality industry in town knows you're coming and appreciates your business. Convention and Visitor's Bureaus in these cities assist with marketing and make sure your attendees are aware of the great opportunities they have in visiting their city while attending your meeting.

The next time you're looking for a high-tech convention center or meeting venue that is affordable, flexible, hospitable and attractive to your attendees, consider a mid-size city. Everything you need for a successful meeting!