South Africa Event Planning

The transport industry is extremely competitive. It is also hugely varied, providing an array from which to choose; both in terms of its product (the many models of cars, a car versus a bus, and so on) as well as in terms of its service (which includes marketing, client service, price, and so on).

Therefore, when you, as the event coordinator, need to decide on the transport you will use for a specific event, consider these 15 evaluation criteria carefully:

1. Safety – consider the mode of transport (for example, an open-air double-decker bus is not ideal for a young children’s party or a trip through a bad area of town).
2. Price – you will, likely, be working according to a strict event budget. Therefore, you will need to choose a suitable form of transport that is also within your price range.
3. Time – if your guests and / or delegates need to be at a certain destination at a specific time, choose a form of transportation that can accomplish this. So, if you are transporting them from a conference that ends at 17h00 to a Gala Dinner that begins at 18h00, a train ride along the coast may not be a viable option as there will simply not be enough time.
4. Distance – your choice of transport may be governed by how far a distance you need to go. For instance, should you have to transport a large number of guests hundreds of kilometres, you are restricted to a train or aeroplane.
5. Convenience – do not ruin the appeal of your event by making your guests go far out of their way to find or use transport. The transport’s convenience also depends upon what is available in your town or city.
6. Departure and arrival times – certain forms of transport just will not be able to cater to your schedule, while others will be ideal.
7. Availability – during tourist season, flights, bus trips and train trips may be limited due to increased booking numbers over that time. Do your research and make plans well ahead of time to ensure availability.
8. Quality of service – for an event to be successful, no part of it should be unpleasant or inconvenient for the guests or delegates. So, when choosing a mode of transportation, make sure that bad service is not a factor. This may force you to look into using another airline, for example, but will be well worth it when your guests arrive relaxed and happy.
9. Flexibility – no event ever runs 100% according to plan. You might need your transport provider to be a little flexible when it comes to arrival and departure times, or other factors. Discuss this with them before securing your booking.
10. Comfort or luxury status – depending on the type of event you are coordinating, the guests or delegates may need luxury transportation. This guides you a considerable amount when it comes to choosing your modes of transport for them. Comfort is always key, so be sure to try and test the seats and public areas of the transport before booking it.
11. Incentives or discounts – certain airlines, train companies, liners and luxury busses offer corporate travellers or event guests special deals for their business. Explore your options.
12. Ground services – weigh up the advantages of using different modes of transport according to the type of services you receive upon departure and arrival, which include hostesses, porters, information desks, and so on.
13. Terminal facilities – where is the terminal of your transport located? Will your guests be able to find their accommodation or the venue easily from there? Is it very far out of town?
14. Status – consider a certain type of transport based on the reputation it has, both in the mind of the consumer and in its specific industry. An ordinary train may do the job, but the Gautrain may get your guests more excited because of all the publicity and hype around it, for example.
15. Enjoyment of the trip – to have your guests in the best possible frame of mind, choose a transport type that they will enjoy. This will, then, become part of the entire event experience.