Complete Story
06/11/2021
How a Destination Change Saved an Annual Meeting
A new destination provided a more crowd-pleasing alternative
The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation historically held its annual, three-day meeting near its suburban Philadelphia headquarters, drawing an average of 1,600 to 1,800 attendees. But while it made geographical sense for the group to hold a meeting in its hometown, the organization faced a venue problem—and it was causing attendance to stagnate.
“The previous venue had become a detriment to the event,” its freelance producer Dean Jones explains. “It was in disrepair. But it was the only affordable nearby option that met the organization’s needs, so there was reason to look elsewhere.”
When CCEF’s leaders acknowledged the need to relocate, Jones encouraged them to look just down the East Coast to Virginia Beach, VA. He was a fan of the Virginia Beach Convention Center’s conference facilities and the area’s beautiful natural landscape, and had seamless past experiences producing events at the destination.
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