Collaborating with a nearby PCO
For your foreign conference to be successful, you must collaborate with a local PCO or event organizer. The aforementioned difficulties that come with planning an F2F event abroad can be supported by drawing on their experience, direction, and familiarity with the location, local volunteers and staff, as well as their original tongue.
There will inevitably be quirks and variances in working styles when working with any new customer or organization, and this can be particularly noticeable when dealing with individuals from different cultures or nations. Having the local PCO on board might help you navigate this. For instance, coffee is ordered in the USA by the gallon rather than per person, so you’ll need to figure out how many gallons the average delegate drinks. Otherwise, you might find yourself overpaying!
Obstacles In Language
The fact that English is the most widely spoken second language worldwide is quite fortunate for us here in Australia. This does not imply that you should create documentation, marketing materials, and general event information on your own. For more complex document interpretation as well as website building and copywriting, it is essential that you work with a reliable translation provider.
Minor translations benefit from working with a local PCO, and having one or more native speakers on board will aid with more complex translations as well as things like destination language colloquialisms.
Provide your delegates with a cheat sheet in the pre-conference materials so they will know some standard expressions like “Hello,” “Please,” and “Thank you” for when they get to the host city. The phrase “I’m sorry, I don’t speak… do you speak…” is especially helpful to have up your sleeve because locals will value your thoughtful approach to interaction.
You must work with a qualified translation provider for all on-site signage and collateral to ensure that all content is accurate, clear, and succinct in all languages!
Governmental Directives
This may be among the trickiest aspects of running a global conference. Dealing with a full set of standards and things like VAT/tax requirements can be challenging because, even under the best of circumstances, government papers and regulations can be complex. This relates to how important it is to have a local PCO on board and to have a solid working relationship with your venue, as they may be able to help you with these kinds of procedural matters.
Zones of Time
Working with individuals in other time zones involves more than merely setting up meetings for after supper or extremely early in the morning, even if conference management always entails working outside of the typical 9–5 workday. Early on, it is important to establish clear expectations for the working relationships between the PCO, the planning committee, the scientific committee, and suppliers, as well as deadlines and feedback.
Taking use of the host city
Explore a new city or country: Traveling to a conference, especially an international one, is half the pleasure. Giving your guests city guides is a fantastic approach to increase participation and create excitement for the actual event. A unique experience that your speakers and participants will remember long after the conference is done can be created by carefully researching restaurants, lodging options, museums, and other activities.
Public health and risk management
While general public health precautions were always something to take into account when traveling abroad, immunization against diseases like yellow fever and hepatitis A was already advised for specific countries. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic upending travel and major events, it is more crucial than ever to consider federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Most vital, though, is to make sure your delegates and other stakeholders are aware of these as well as any potential hazards.