A Hotel's Advice Makes Things Easy For Meeting Organizers

Luna Wang is the account director of Beijing Glory Media Company, which undertakes various activities such press conferences, new-product promotions, corporate annual meetings, award ceremonies, forums, and road shows, as well as customer appreciation events, and staff award ceremonies.

She says these activities are of various sizes. For example, there are usually 150-300 people for a press conference and new product launch; 500-1,000 people for an annual meeting, award ceremony and forum; and 50-100 people for internal events.

Basically the company has following requirements for a proper venue. First, the environment of the venue should fit the positioning of the activity. Second, transport to the venue should be convenient for guests. Third, there should be enough space for construction, especially the height of the venue. Fourth, safety is quite important. Make sure there are sufficient power supplies, safe electric circuits, and safe load bearing columns and beams. Fifth, some activities may include large equipment such as automobiles, hence there should be supporting facilities such as freight elevators. Sixth, a proper venue should also have other important supporting facilities and services such as delicious food, quality service, VIP room, surroundings, and ample parking.

With regard to annual meetings, Wang lays out four rules: new hotels are preferred; he hotel should easy to get to for the organizers; hotels usually would introduce their annual meeting package by the end of a year, which can be used as a reference; five-star hotels are highly recommended for annual meetings.

Wang's company has cooperated with many hotels, including Park Hyatt Beijing, JW Marriott Hotel Beijing, Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Grand Hyatt Beijing, The Regent Beijing, Shangri-La Hotel Beijing, Crowne Plaza Beijing Parkview Wuzhou, and Wenjin Hotel. Among all the hotels, Park Hyatt Beijing is quite impressive, said Wang. This hotel would propose reasonable suggestions based on the annual meeting plan and hotel facilities. For annual meetings with dining, Wang recommends JW Marriott Hotel Beijing and Sofitel Wanda Beijing's western cuisines, and of course quality dining service.

Wang and her team have twice worked on annual meetings of Western Returned Scholars Association 2005 Committee in 2009 and 2010, just before the Christmas. Annual meetings were held in Park Hyatt Beijing. To go with the theme, the meeting venue was decorated with the 2005 logo and Christmas decorative elements; even the dessert also had the 2005 logo on. Apart from regular procedures such as a speech from the leader and an art performance, there were also keynote speeches and charity auctions, which have brought forward-looking morale to corporate culture.