Providers of Trendy Meeting Venues Lure Planners Away from Boring Conference Halls
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When it comes to meeting spaces, ambience is becoming almost as important as functionality. As event organizers move away from generic conference rooms, boutique event companies like Etc. Venues and Convene are starting to expand.
The boutique hotel trend has started to reach the events industry over the past couple years. It’s no stretch to assume that planners and attendees alike are sick of huge, fluorescent-lit conference centers and generic board rooms. More event professionals are looking for modern, offbeat places to impress their guests, as well as food that's fresh and local.
This has provided a space for boutique venue providers to grow. Companies like London-based Etc. Venues and New York-based Convene are carving out a niche for themselves, leasing unique meeting rooms, redesigning them, and providing high-end food and tech support for planners. The niche is starting to get crowded, though, as competition heats up globally.
Etc. Venues recently made its first step into the U.S. market, with three New York venues slated to open sometime next year. The
