Conference News

We tidied up the Free Venue finders section of the site today to put more emphasis on the fact that it is a 100% Free Venue Finding Service for anyone trying to locate conference venues throughout the UK and Central Europe.

Many people look for the catch, but quite simply, there isn’t one! Conference venues and conference centres have a large advertising budget to market their facilities, when expert conference agents like Morris Conferencing bring clients to them, the venues pay industry rate commission to the agents.

This isn’t just an introduction fee, the conference agent ensures all clients needs are met and that the correct venue is selected. Once reserved, Morris ensure everything runs smoothly and are always on hand for any enquiries.

So, if you have been given the task of finding a venue for your companies AGM or annual conference don’t spend endless fruitless hours searching for a venue, contact Morris Conferencing and our expert venue finders will do all the work for you, Free of charge.

There are a handful of great conference venues that cater for 1000 plus delegates across the UK and abroad. These Large Meeting Halls are perfect for annual conferences both national and international. The type of venues that can accommodate up to 1000 + venues range from large halls, hotels, to football stadiums, international conference centres and unusual venues.

Morris Conferencing recently sent two delegates to Italy, for the “Meet the Spirit of Italy”

Workshop, hosted in Verona. Morris Conferencing are well used to hosting conferences in Europe. However Italy offers Morris a new challenge.

Italy offers a variety of modern conference venues, in superb locations. Factor in excellent airport and rail connections, wonderful Hotels and of course the ambience of Italian life. You are then left with a superb package. Host your conference in Verona or Florence, perhaps the Rimini Riviera or the superb facilities at Lago Maggiore, Rome, Venice, Milan or Naples.

All bring the same level of excellence. We travelled out from the infamous terminal 5 at Heathrow. Sorry to disappoint (contrary to recent justified media exposure) but the Terminal works, both in and out. The only gripe is the absence of obvious clocks around the terminal.

A little tip, you can find the electronic time in the bottom right hand corner of the departure boards.

Milan Liinate airport looks a little tired in comparison, it is however only twenty minutes from the centre of Milan. Flights are available direct to Verona or Venice, so our journey out doesn’t represent a true picture of arriving, for example in Verona for a conference.

To sum up. Morris Conferencing will be certainly looking seriously at all of these new venues.

Firstly, we need to establish what is a ‘green event’ is as people can become confused about all the differenct terminology and the different things we should be doing to save the world!

 A green event is a carefully  planned event taking into account its effects on the environment and trying to reduce its carbon footprint.

Green venues are suppliers that are environmentally responsible and care about the effect their dasy to day running has.

 Things organisers can do:

- Think carefully about the location - Will all delegates need to drive? If so can you organise a car share schme of transport in buses? Does it have good public transport links, so delegates can choose not to drive if they wish?

 - Events generally can be organise electronically - from contact with venue to online registration

- Try to use your 3 R’s - reduce, reuse and recycle - recytcle any brochures you receive, reuse exhibition stands and recycle ink cartridges! just a few simple things make a little difference!

- If your really into saving the environment, you can calculate your carbon footprint and do something to balance it out, for example, why not plant some trees and put it into your (electronical!) newsletter.

 Remember, a few little things do help!

Morris Conferencing’s venue directory has interested many suppliers in the industry because of its benefits , therefore hundreds of conference venues and hotels have already signed up.

Star Venues is a conference venues directory devised by conference agents, constructed by conference agents and used by conference agents.

 It is free for the basic listing - for more information please contact info@corporateconferences.co.uk

or Register your venue  now http://www.starvenues.co.uk/enter.asp

 The Royal Yacht in Jersey is a brand new Hotel, which has been reopened afer a massive £32 million expansion and refurbishment, which has expanded Jerseys conferce portfolio.

The Hotel has Conference and events facilities, looking fresh and upd to date, with a real edge. It is close to the St Helier Marina, and only 15 minutes from the airport, making it very accessible. 

Their conference facilities are extensive, ranging from small boardrooms catering for up to 12 people, to the Celestial Hall which caters for theatre-style seating of up to 280 people.

The main conference suite is very flexible and can be custimized to meet your needs - with Audio Visual equipment and partioned walls, allowing you to breakout into syndicate rooms if needed

 Jersey is a great place to have a conference - It is not only 35 minutes away from most UK airports, but it could motivate your delegates. Jersey is not too far away and has a better feel to it than the usual conference in London. 

 The Hotel has 108 bedrooms and two penthouse suites and some excellent bars, restaurants and a Spa to relax in - well worth a look!
 

When a residential conference is not required, companies may find it more cost effective to hire out a specialist meeting room with business facilities instead of a large conference hall.

Morris Conferencings’ venues database contains information about meeting rooms, syndicates and business facilities within venues and provides a fast track way to contact the venues managers at these venues which means business meeting rooms can be booked for you with at day delegate rates.

Event organisers have so much choice over the type of venue they can hold their event at from hotels, to purpose built conference venues, to something a little more different.

Unusual venues can often impress delegates and key speakers,  perhaps motivating them more and keeping interest at the conference. As part of the conference you can also add in that little extra. Why not have a tour around the fantastic Emirates Stadium, or have a little fun at Alton Towers or hold a murder mystery night for a team building event.

 Of course the venue has to fit in with the message you are trying to portray, but a bit of fun and an interest setting may make that serious message sink in a little more.

 Here are some of our favourites:-

 - City of Manchester Stadium

- Manchester United Football Club - Old Trafford

-  Newbury Racecourse

-  Doncaster Racecourse

-  HMS Belfast

-  Donington Park

- Royal Airforce Museum

-  National Railway Museum

- National Motor Cycle Museum

- Alton Towers

With the possible recession looming it may be that some organisations will start looking around for budget rates when holding their next conference meeting.

With this in mind, Morris Conferencing have re-structured their venues database and now provide an option where it is possible to sort by delegate rates.

Morris have also comprised a list of budget venues which are lower priced but still high quality.

The whole point of a meeting is to communicate, to share ideas and to bring people together. Technology makes this easier and more interesting.

 Many venues have WIFI (wireless internet) so delegates can communicate with each other, and also keep in touch with business outside of the conference.

A good phone is essential for the business traveller - Most phones are equipped with internet such as Blackberries and Iphones

 VoIP is handing for communicating whilst on the road. This simply means voice over the internet. A good provider to use is Skype - allowing you to call in the UK and abroad.

 Social networking sites such as facebook have dominated the internet over the past year. They are not only useful for keeping in touch with friends but also for business. for example Microsoft recently used facebook to bring together delegates for an event! This is where delegates registered but was also used to motivate the delegates and make them communicate before the event took place!

 Blogs are also great for reciving feedback on an event - delegates can chat and post their experiences which is great for organisers - they can measure the success of the event. A great Business network site is BT trade space - It is like a ‘My space’. you can uplaod pictures, put your contact details and really connect with potential clients and other businesses.

Conference and events are only going to get more technological! It is a great way of inspiring delegates and keeping them interested - Its time to move on from ‘Death by Powerpoint’ and use other aids to get those delegates going.