Aligning Destination Selection With Event Objectives

This webinar took place on August 5, 2026. Watch now.

Choosing the right destination is one of the more strategic decisions a planner can make, yet the process is often driven by routine, convenience or budget alone. In this webinar we'll focus on site selection as a strategic tool, demonstrating how the right location can reinforce your event's purpose, energize and engage attendees, and drive measurable outcomes. Takeaways will include:

• Establish a framework for selecting destinations that takes into account event purpose, audience profile and the desired attendee experience — as well as budget — to evaluate your options better.
•  Understand how factors like venue layout, local culture, climate and accessibility shape the agenda and attendee behavior.
• Sell the results to your stakeholders, making the case for the decision by connecting the destination to the business objectives and outcome.
  
  

WATCH NOW

Earns 1 Hour of CMP Credit 

SPEAKERS

Annika Clutch

Global Sales Director, Hosts Global

Annika Clutch is the global sales director at Hosts Global, a worldwide alliance of destination management companies. She also serves on the SITE Southeast board of directors as vice president of events and education. With nearly three decades in hospitality, Annika has built her career across planning, hotel operations, destination management, business development and global sales. Born and raised in Europe, she draws on a lifetime of cross-cultural experiences to bring a global, cross-functional perspective to experience design.

Cindy Meyerer

Vice President Sales, Teneo Hospitality Group

Cindy Meyerer has 30 years of experience in hospitality, including in operations, catering and convention services, sales management and global sales representation. Prior to the decade she has now been with Teneo Hospitality Group, she held key positions with Hyatt Hotels Corp., Gaylord Entertainment & Hotels and Disney Destinations Worldwide. In her current role with Teneo, she represents a diverse portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts with a specialty in the independent and smaller chain sectors, deepening her insight into the hospitality portfolio of numerous markets.

Peter Schmidt

Director of Global Accounts, NHS Global Events

Peter Schmidt has been with NHS Global Events for 13 years and has worked in the meetings and events industry for more than three decades, with stops in Munich, Frankfurt, Chicago and Las Vegas. At the Chicago-based boutique meeting and event intermediary NHS Global Events, he leverages that extensive industry expertise to help clients secure successful agreements for everything from board meetings to citywide conventions, across the U.S. and international markets.

MODERATOR

Michael J. Shapiro

Director of Content Strategy, Northstar Meetings Group U.S.

Michael has covered the transformative effects of technology on meetings and travel for more than a dozen years at Northstar, where he also plays a key role in developing content around topical industry trends, hospitality, and a wide variety of destinations. He is a writer, editor, photographer and recently returned expat, following a lengthy stay in Guadalajara — aka the Silicon Valley of Mexico.