Cvent

We've talked in the past about one of the biggest issues facing meeting planners today: a tough economy. As budgets continue to struggle, meeting planners are presented with the challenge to do more with less. In fact, a recent webcast hosted by Successful Meetings and MeetingNews focused on this exact topic.

Site selection was highlighted as a key area in which planners can cut back on costs. How? By selecting more affordable locations. More so now than in the past, event planners are moving their events to tier 2 destinations, which often offer the same first-class amenities as more popular cities, but at a much lower cost.

A 2002 survey by GetThere detailed the Top Ten Most Affordable Meeting Cities in the United States. Ranked highest to lowest, the results were as follows:

1. Jacksonville, FL
2. Indianapolis, IN
3. Atlanta, GA
4. Tucson, AZ
5. Dallas, TX
6. Salt Lake City, UT
7. Chicago, IL
8. New Orleans, LA
9. Tampa, FL
10. Philadelphia, PA

Note that some heavy-hitters, such as Chicago and Atlanta, join the list along with cities that might not have come to mind immediately for your next event. It just goes to show the benefits of careful research in your site selection process.

As always, we recommend making use of the Cvent Destination Guide. Quickly and easily research 50 large and small cities worldwide, not just the traditional leaders of the pack. Plus, with the newly-launched Key Stats pages, you'll get a clear idea of the costs associated with your event, whether they be food, lodging or even taxi fares.

Make the most of all the resources at your finger tips when picking a city for your next event—careful site selection can save your budget!