When asked recently why more planners don’t take safety and security more seriously, one planner responded, “it’s so big and boring.” Granted, it is not the sexiest of meeting-planning topics; fancy guest rooms and upscale food are much more fun to consider than a bad guy with a gun or a global pandemic.
Also, the breadth of the topic can seem dauting. There’s cyber security, crisis communication, public-relations scenarios, and emergency-response planning. Considering the constant barrage of scary news on TV and the utter fiction on social media, it’s hard to want to look at event safety.
There’s good news, however. Planners can prepare for the possibility of bad things happening, and even have the power to prevent or mitigate many of them. Starting with the site-selection process, we can begin the process of keeping our attendees safer.
Here are a few simple things to do during your next hotel- or venue-selection process.
Start with the RFP
Let the hotel or venue know that you take safety seriously. In your RFP, ask how the hotel handles some safety issues, for example a medical incident or a power outage. Many…
