What you need to know when you host an event abroad

La preparazione

Una delle prime cose da fare quando si organizza un evento all’estero è conoscere il Paese e la città in cui si dovrà lavorare. Google, Wikipedia e i blog possono essere i nostri migliori amici nella prima fase. Chiedi in giro, informati da chi è già stato nel Paese in questione se è sicuro o meno, che tipo di cucina vi si trova, come ci si muovere etc. Le fonti ufficiali, ovviamente, sono altrettanto importanti. Se c’è un aspetto religioso o sociale specifico del luogo che potrebbe influenzare il tuo evento, per esempio, è bene saperlo il prima possibile per scegliere come comportarsi.

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Before you start

One of the first things you should do when planning an event abroad is to become familiar with the country and the city where you’ll be conducting your event. Google, Wikipedia, and blogs can be your best friends. Ask around; find out from people who have been in the country before whether or not it’s safe, what kind of food there is around, how you’ll get around if you don’t have a car. Official sources, obviously, are equally important. If there’s a specific religious or social aspect of the place that might influence your event, that’s something you should know as soon as possible.
When you’re planning an event abroad, it’s important to keep in mind the audience you intend to reach. If the event is held in a city where the people who will attend actually live, then you can plan accordingly by taking into account local customs, practices and culture. However, if the audience will have to travel to be there, you’ll need to keep in mind that they are coming from outside of their usual environment and may have very different expectations than those who live in the place where the event takes place.
Large international events such as trade shows, which draw participants and attendees from all over the world, require great logistical planning: organizers must make sure the location is easy to reach and close to hotels and transportation.

The logistics maze

Large conferences also require a lot of equipment that can be very expensive to rent or buy; this includes lighting, audio-visual equipment, exhibit booths, signage and so forth. The event planner needs to work with vendors to ensure that all of these things are available at the right time and place, which is often not easy—it’s crucial to get in touch with them months in advance so that they have enough time to plan their part of the show.

What to know when planning an event abroad: EU vs non-EU, Visa, permits and laws

In most cases, if your items are staying within the EU (European Union) it will be easier—but still important—to research what is required in advance. In the case of certain items (such as food or animals), there might be quotas or restrictions on how much or what kind of product you can bring into the country. This may not apply to everyone, so it is always best to check ahead of time with the embassy of the country where the event will be hosted.
Working with local vendors can be a great way to plan an event abroad. One of the benefits of working with someone in-country is that they will know the language, which can make things easier if you want to change something or if you need last-minute assistance. They may also have contacts or networks you don’t have access to. You could even choose to work with them exclusively, and they can help you with everything from the venue to catering. But before choosing this type of vendor, make sure you vet them carefully.

First, it’s important that you establish a trusted point of contact in your country of choice before you go so that you can communicate effectively without having to deal with language barriers. Without a way to talk directly to your contact, misunderstandings are much more likely to occur.

When you’re planning a bigger event that will have people traveling from around the country or even the world, you need to make sure that you know what documents are needed for them to arrive at your event.

Conclusion

Once you have identified the target audience, the venue and the topics to be covered, it will be easy for you to outline the characteristics your event abroad must have to be a success. As always, it is a good idea to start with a detailed plan with clear goals and to enlist only the best professionals in each field.

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