Back in Business: Your Guide to Conference Hosting in 2021

This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind by James Daniels, a freelance writer, business enthusiast, a bit of a tech buff, and an overall geek. He is also an avid reader, who can while away hours reading and knowing about the latest gadgets and tech, whilst offering views and opinions on these topics.

 

It’s been a bizarre year for businesses. Handshakes on huge contracts have had to give way to virtual agreements over email. Essential meetings with contractors and clients have had to take place over Zoom. Conferences have been performed remotely, as has the bulk of your office work - as staff have retreated into their homes to remain safe from the virus. But with a vaccine well on the way, it’s time to turn your attention to 2021 and the conference that you’re looking forward to hosting - and this article offers tips to help you plan a successful, memorable meeting of minds. 

Follow Vaccine News

It would be irresponsible to plan a conference early in 2021. The vaccine that has been recently announced will be flying across the world in extra-quick time, but it’ll still take some months before it’s completely safe to host a conference - meaning that your guests will turn up. 

As you plan, make sure that you’re in contact with the relevant health authorities and that you can be confident that the date you select will see the world becoming increasingly COVID-free. It’s recommended that you don’t book at all until you see news from your local government that provides a road map for vaccinations in your area. 

Venue and Location

Conferences are still going to be a little different in 2021, despite the slight decrease in the prevalence of the virus in our lives. You’re going to find that people are less enthused about flying to a conference - and that others will be grateful to have a conference that’s not in a city center, where they’ll be exposed to hundreds of different people a day - some with the coronavirus.

As such, look to an out-of-town venue in which to host your conference - somewhere quiet, isolated, and perfect for meetings between industry representatives. If you’re in Australia, you have a wealth of natural, peaceful retreats to choose from. Search for conference venues Adelaide to find perfect spots to host a conference in the hills surrounding the city - rather than in the center of this busy commercial hub. 

Health and Ease

It will take a while for conferences to feel completely normal. After all, we’ll have gone over a year without meeting up in large groups - and this will take some getting used to. To make your guests feel more at ease and comfortable, it’s worth making sure that you’re focusing on health and transmission reduction - even if your conference attendees are all vaccinated. 

One example of this is in catering. Some guests will be put off by tables of food that hundreds of people are having over - and instead, you should find a way to provide food that guests can be sure is clean and healthy. The same can be said of spaces in which people can sit or stand to talk - and the accommodation if your conference will spread over more than one day. Remember that we’re still mentally recovering from the impact of the virus - so be careful to account for this in your plans. 

There you have it: three key tips for planning your conference for the summer of next year.