When hosting a conference, the biggest decision that you need to make is where to hold it.

The venue has a direct impact on the success of any conference. In order to make your conference a success, you need to follow these six tips:

The Parking: With thousands of delegates gather at one location, parking is always an issue. Insufficient parking will see tempers flare as people fight for the last few spots available. In order to prevent this, secure parking should be readily available for all delegates arriving in their own vehicles. Also, check that there is bus parking, if you are providing transport, and that it is close to a venue.

The Venue Size: Ensure that the size of the conference room suits the number of delegates attending the meeting. Do not try force people to sit in a theatre style when they are trying to take note and want to use laptops or tablets. Likewise, a conference venue that is too big for the number of delegates will lose the intimacy required to make meaningful interactions and knowledge sharing.

The Catering: The catering plays an important role in keeping delegates happy. There is nothing worse than leaving a presentation tired and hungry, and drinks are not readily available or the sandwiches are stale. Choose a venue that is known for supplying fresh, healthy and light meals. This will ensure delegates return to the presentations refreshed and ready to work again, not overfed and lethargic. Also, you need to take into account meal requirements: vegetarians, Kosher and Halaal meals.

The Equipment: Nowadays, you cannot hold a conference without projectors, white boards, audio systems and free Wi-Fi. When hiring a conference venue, ensure that the presentation equipment is suitable for delegates to comfortably hear presentations and clips. In addition, having available Wi-Fi will enable delegates to download presentations and stay up-to-date with office emails.

Peaceful and Relaxing: A venue that is away from the bustle of the city will help to promote more creative and productive thinking. Being cooped up in windowless rooms all day with no access to fresh air is not conducive to a receptive audience. Be sure to find a venue that is away from the city, somewhere that delegates are able to relax and work together to discuss important industry issues and ways to solve them.

Budget: Ensure that all possible expenses are taken into account when budgeting for your conference, so that when the final bill is presented you do not receive any nasty shocks. A good tip is to limit bar expenditure so that delegates pay for their own drinks. Some Cape Town conference venues offer all inclusive conference packages which make budgeting much simpler.

You need to ensure that the conference venue suits your specific needs. Use these tips to help you making planning a conference just a little bit easier.