I absolutely love Hong Kong, so when the opportunity to revisit Hong Kong came along I jumped at the chance. I have not operated there for more than five years, so a catch up is long overdue...

The country is beginning to get Olympic fever and for the events world, ‘legacy’ will be the watchword in the coming months and years. But, what of other venues that have benefited from the Olympic effect? Vancouver is one of our favourite destinations and here’s an update following a recent event there...

On a recent fam trip something rather unexpected and innovative happened. At Dreamtime 2011 in Australia, we were all given a Poken to share our information with the suppliers we were meeting. With an accepting grace I went with the flow, not being too clear  what I had in my hand.  I now Poken, do you? ...

New BMI flights to Nice provide for more flexible group opportunities—and will a new route to Agadir put the south Moroccan coast on the group agenda? ...

BI WORLDWIDE's mission is to produce measurable business results.  A pharma client's conference demanded a great event solution and needed to demonstrate true ROI.  But what of the event from a measurement perspective and what were the key research elements that ensured the event was a positive success for the delegates and the client business......?

During a period of job and budget cuts, one thing that shouldn't be cut is the line of communication with your stakeholders.

Understandably, financial caution and negative press have led corporates to question the appropriateness of running events. But face-to-face communication remains vital. Not just despite the current climate, but because of it.

Now is the time to provide clarity; to set minds at rest and to stem nervous speculation; to instil confidence and give a clear direction; to gauge reactions and react accordingly; to bring your people - and ideas - together.

No other medium achieves these objectives like a conference: they're transparent, emotive, dynamic and flexible. Of course, financial considerations still need to be made, but there are many cost-effective options to be found with a bit of research and imagination - read our article on universities.

Read more with our top tips on why face-to-face communication events are king.

"Here's your starter for ten. You want to host a conference and require a venue that has impact, but not on your budget.

What's the answer? I must hurry you! No?"

In reality, this is a tough question, but the answer could actually prove rather academic.

For events buyers, universities could prove the solution to your challenge. If budgetary constraints bypass conventional wisdom, it's important to try a different school of thought. Universities have all the right qualifications to be the smart choice.