We all know that first tier cities rock and are an absolute must for some programs. They have excitement, theater, restaurants and more. Cities like New York, Chicago and London have the infrastructure to handle groups of 200,000 and the intimate appeal to lure a small incentive of 30. The choices of activities and venues are endless. Here in Chicago for example, I can take a group of 50 out for sushi 30 nights in a row and to a different theater performance all without hitting the same place twice!

Second tier cities are often overlooked in favor of their larger cousins and this is unfortunate. These cities often have much more to offer than meets the eye. Some of the advantages of cities like Kansas City or Providence can often help groups with lower operating budgets create a first class program that will leave attendees talking for years to come. We have helped clients transform the ordinary into the extraordinary without ever having to go back to the bean counters for more dollars.

Some of the advantages are obvious, lower costs for lodging and F&B. I know some properties in Portland that have superior rooms and fantastic food at costs that are dramatically lower than Chicago and other major markets.

The things that make second tier cities great are not always quantifiable with a dollar sign. These are sometimes the things that attendees will remember the most.

Providence Rhode Island is a perfect example of how second tier cities shine. They have a fabulous airport (TF Green) that is not overly large and has one exit point for all of the gates. This means that there is little chance for attendees to get missed by airport greeters and it also means that bags come out quickly – This creates a sense of well being with attendees before they ever leave the airport!

Once into town, Providence and the surrounding area have one of the hottest restaurant scenes in the country, casinos (Foxwoods is a short drive) and natural beauty that can make for great outdoor events.  Imagine an outdoor event on the ocean for a group of 10-1000 in Newport.

Event planners can also take advantage of things that are unique to the area. In Providence for example, guided tours are offered of HP Lovecraft’s haunts (no pun intended). What a fantastic offering for a group of writers, publishers or others involved in the writing field. This is something that they will always remember, but may not have the opportunity to do on there own. A win for the attendee and a win for the program organizers, what could be better.

Second can sometimes be first, we have seen this time and time again. Don’t get me wrong, I love New York and live in Chicago, but nothing beats taking a group to a destination that they may not consider otherwise and have them come away from the program with a new found love of one of America’s smaller cities.

Just a thought.

Keith
www.onsiteevents.com