Like all good things, events have changed. Conferences are no longer just about what happens onstage; these days, event attendees expect to be entertained, wined and dined. What goes on outside of the event – including the options available to attendees to have new experiences and build meaningful business relationships in unconventional settings – is what often sets good events apart from unforgettable ones.
We’re already seeing examples of this at hosted events today – the phrase “festivalization of events” was coined as a result of the increasing nature of events as multiple-day festivals and parties as opposed to traditional business conferences. Now, as part of the registration process, it’s common for companies to ask attendees not only which sessions they’re interested in joining, but also which extracurricular activity they want to partake in, be it a cooking class, hiking or pilates.
This is why we’re launching a new series focused on fun and unique places for event off-sites in various major conference cities. People attend conferences to meet prospective customers and clients, and those companies who provide exceptional offsite settings for attendees to do so in 2019 are the ones who will leave lasting impressions. So to kick off our new City Guide Series: Event Offsites, we’ll head over to Las Vegas to see what Sin City has to offer.
First stop: Las Vegas
Said to be the brightest place on Earth when viewed from space, the Las Vegas Strip attracts more than 40 million visitors each year with its glittering lights, dazzling shows and grandiose decor – from the MGM Grand’s 50-ton bronze lion to a replica Eiffel Tower. If “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”, this city holds innumerable memories and continues to make more with plenty of options for casual to high-end shopping, dining, staying (nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in the city!) and out-of-the-box adventures.
Major events like the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) coming up in January and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show have brought thousands of conference attendees to Las Vegas over the years. The city certainly isn’t short of one-of-a-kind experiences to offer attendees, and in case you have your sights set on Vegas as a destination for your own upcoming event, check out our recommendations for the top 6 places to host your event offsites below:
The Mob Museum
The pitch: History and great storytelling is always a good conversation starter. The Mob Museum is a unique venue that showcases organized crime’s past and present through interactive exhibits and Mob and law enforcement artifacts. Restored settings, including the speakeasy and distillery rooms, are available to rent for events, and bring a networking happy hour to the next level.
The Neon Museum
The pitch: If your attendees include the artsy, creative bunch, the Neon Museum might be the perfect outing for them in Las Vegas. Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is dedicated to preserving the city’s iconic neon signs. Guided tours are available for groups, and the venue even hosts additional events like hot yoga if you want to appeal to a wider variety of interests.
Hoover Dam Tour
The pitch: A little ways out from Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam offers spectacular sights sure to appeal to the outdoor adventure-seeking bunch. With most of attendees’ time spent indoors at conferences, a nature tour walk at this massive, man-made structure can be an exciting and thrilling option to get away and enjoy company in a new setting. The Hoover Dam Tour company offers premium bus group tours from Las Vegas for attendees to explore sites like the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, as well as the theater, exhibit rooms, observation deck and museum.
Topgolf
The pitch: Golf is the classic businesspersons’ sport. But, attendees can ditch the polo, khakis and strictly business conversation here and enjoy a good time on Topgolf’s courses. The venue welcomes all skill levels and provides a great setting for fun team building activities and friendly competition. For the sports-adverse, Topgolf also offers five unique bars and plenty of food options to enjoy a drink and meal with current and prospective clients.
Escapology
The pitch: A lighthearted game of golf is one option, but nothing says team building like having 60 minutes to puzzle and problem solve your way out of a room. Escapology offers a real life escape game experience for the more adventurous bunch. In this setting, talking and getting to know one another is essentially a requirement in order to “escape”, which could also open doors (pun intended) to great conversation and client relationship building.
Providing an unforgettable event offsite experience will bring new and interesting ways for attendees to network and make lasting businesses connections at your next conference. And, since even awesome events can be dulled by inefficient processes and logistics, we offer Certain Arrive to help things go smoothly no matter where your offsite takes place.
With Certain Arrive, companies can automate the check-in process for their event offsites while capturing valuable data on attendance and participation, and having the ability to personally welcome specific attendees. All in all, improved efficiencies means more time for fun – and we’re all for that!