By Beth Buehler
So you have a meeting in Colorado to plan, not just any meeting or corporate-type gathering, but a fairly large one. The task may feel daunting but there are many partners available to help make the logistics go smoothly.
Destination Management Companies – Colorado is fortunate to have a variety of great DMC’s (Destination Management Companies) to help plan a meeting or event from start to finish, or just the parts needed. From cities to mountains, entities such as Access Colorado, AlpineAccess, Destination Services – DSC, Operation Altitude, Realize Planning and Rocky Mountain Connections (RMC) stand ready to assist with transportation, venue selection and booking, team-building, activities, lodging, entertainment, speakers and more.
Outdoor Denver event by Operation Altitude. Courtesy of Operation Altitude.
Destination Marketing Organizations – Through regularly working with the state’s DMO’S (convention and visitor bureaus, tourism offices, Chambers of Commerce, etc.), I am sold on the fact that these organizations can be a meeting planner’s and journalist’s best friend. They often can provide assistance with or suggestions for most things related to logistics. Want to find a local organization to team up with for a community project? How about the best ways to get attendees from the airport to the conference hotel? Need someone to step on a tour bus and provide a welcome plus a few insider facts? Chat with the DMO sales team or staff members who work with groups to find out what is possible.
A transportation option available from Towne & Country Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation. Courtesy Towne & Country.
Venues – Many times the sales team and/or your main point of contact at Colorado venues can be valuable sources of information and expertise. Recently, Colorado Meetings + Events held our editorial advisory board meeting and Best of Colorado readers’ choice awards at UCHealth Training Center, home of the Denver Broncos. The success of this event and all the logistics involved from moving attendees from the front entrance (with a little help from the Broncos’ mascot and cheerleaders) to the celebration location on the lower level practice field and getting suppliers comfortably set up to welcome 550 guests was directly related to great venue employees.
Setting up for Best of Colorado. Photo by Beth Buehler.
They even managed to have the Lombardi Trophy from the Bronco’s recent Super Bowl win available for viewing and photos! Colorado is filled with amazing venue experts. Utilize their logistics expertise.
Beth Buehler and Destination Colorado President and Hotel Boulderado General Manager Lisa Lindgren by the Lombardi Trophy.
Suppliers – Having the best available suppliers on your team allows you to be the head coach coordinating all the players on the field. Knowing that we had great suppliers taking photos, creating delicious and attractive food stations, providing top-notch AV and lighting, and making us look good with beautiful décor and a talented emcee made it easy to go on stage at the appointed hour to get the show underway. Destination Colorado, DMCs, DMOs and venues can help point the way to Colorado’s talented suppliers.
Image Audiovisuals, Inc. assisted with the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado Educational Conference and Trade Show at Denver’s Colorado Convention Center. Courtesy Image Audiovisuals, Inc.
Now that wasn’t so bad. Utilize the many resources available at your fingertips to make the logistics of your next Colorado meeting a touchdown!
Beth Buehler, editor of Colorado Meetings + Events and Mountain Meetings magazines, lives in the mountains, has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado in all seasons.
