Planning a Hybrid Meeting or Event in San Diego
There’s nothing quite like a get-together. Convening for a party, meeting, or other special happening is always a great way to forge new interpersonal bonds, and strengthen existing ones.
While 2020 was a challenging year to hold in-person events, gatherings are poised to come back in a big way now that immunizations are rolling out nationwide. So if you’re planning a special celebration, corporate conference, expo, convention, or other occasion, here are some tips for helping it go off without a hitch, as well as some trends to look forward to in the future of business meetings.
Get a Head Start
Do you need to get an event on the books for this year? Then you’re going to want to start planning sooner rather than later. There are multiple reasons for this. First, the nation’s leading infectious disease experts are predicting a widespread level of vaccine availability in the second half of 2021, meaning that the safety of gatherings will be greatly improved. Second, since so many 2021 events had to be canceled or postponed, the demand for spaces and services is poised to soar as soon as gatherings are possible. Overall, this means that event planners will be hoping to squeeze twice as many events into half as much time. Available dates will no doubt fill fast. So if you don’t want to postpone any further, you’ll want to lock in your dates before it’s too late.
Plan a “Hybrid Event”
Advances in Internet connections and teleconferencing in the last decade or so gave rise to the “webinar,” a virtual event that could be attended by anyone who could log in. Of course, remote work became the norm in 2020, thanks to the necessity to shelter in place for so many. And now, as the spread slows and immunity starts to become the norm, the “hybrid meeting” has become an increasingly popular amalgam of virtual and in-person events. At a hybrid event, both live and online attendees alike can experience your conference, simply via different platforms. By setting up an event that offers all those interested a way to access your get-together, you can ensure that nobody is left out.
Be Flexible
We all like to experience events that are timely, especially if they’re annual occurrences or tied to a specific calendar date. But given what’s sure to be an increased demand and reduced availability, it may be in your best interest to “go with the flow” a bit more readily than usual. That dreamed-of summer wedding can be just as lovely if it happens in the fall. Your annual professional all-hands may typically happen at the same time every year, but by leaving yourself open to alternative dates, you’ll ensure an equal opportunity for attendance. Why not have your holiday party in the spring? In most cases, the togetherness is what’s most important — not the traditional dates.
Stay Close
There weren’t many aspects of the business world that were left untouched by the events of 2020. Still, there was perhaps no industry that was impacted quite as much as travel. Airlines, hotels, and other travel-based businesses took a big hit at the height of the pandemic. So, while business-based travel has always been seen as equal parts occupational necessity and professional perk, it might be advisable to hold off for now — especially if your event is scheduled to take place in the first half of the year. As an added bonus, by minimizing the amount of time that guests or associates need to spend traveling, planners can focus on helping guests connect comfortably, as well as increase the amount of available time for scheduled seminars.
Selecting the Ideal Venue
Every successful event needs a perfect place to happen. Thankfully, Days Inn by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle has you covered from every angle. Our event spaces are highly adaptable for nearly any occasion. We offer custom seating, exceptional catering options, high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property, and even up-to-date audio/visual equipment for presentations, photo slideshows, and more. If your event could benefit from taking place in a space where no detail is ever overlooked, then you owe it to yourself to reach out to our experienced event planners. We’ll happily help set up your event for success.
