ABSTRACT
There are four distinct parties involved with venues and events: the venue event manager, event organizer, client and the guest who attends the event. The exodus from traditional venues has fuelled the need for event organisers to impress their guests. Event creativity, decoration, entertainment and the entire 'guest experience' each play their important role in satisfying or exceeding guests' expectations, or failing them. The venue is a key element of reaching guests' expectations at an event. Anybody in the position of booking a venue can no longer leave it to chance and hope that they can rely on the venue to make everything go smoothly. Anybody in the position of recommending venues to clients, normally specialist event organisers, has their reputation and future business to consider and must therefore be able to distinguish good venues from wrong venues. Most organisers build a portfolio of known and trusted venues.
