When their room inventory ran out, this group had a romantic rendezvous with resourcefulness
We’ve got an unusual case study on tap for our Event Design section this week. It’s about a conference that took place in Columbia. The air in Cali, thick with the scent of bougainvillea and exhaust fumes, crackled with a different kind of heat this October. No, not the tropical sun – though that was relentless, too. This was the heat of 196 nations crammed into a city bursting at its seams, all for the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16). Hotels overflowed, Airbnb listings vanished like rare orchids, and even the hostels were packed tighter than a clown car at rush hour.
Enterprising Caleños, never ones to miss an opportunity, saw a solution shimmering like a mirage in the midday haze: love motels. Yes, those establishments known more for their mirrored ceilings and heart-shaped Jacuzzis than their conference facilities.
Suddenly, delegates found themselves checking into “The Passion Palace” or “Love Nest,” their diplomatic luggage jostling for space with rotating beds and champagne-glass tubs. The more, shall we say, stimulating amenities were discreetly removed, replaced by hastily printed Wi-Fi passwords and complimentary bottles of Colombian coffee.
Yet, amidst the initial awkwardness, a strange kind of camaraderie blossomed. Shared stories over breakfast (served, one hopes, on standard tables and not in the aforementioned tubs) about the unusual accommodations. A collective sense of the absurd, a reminder that even in the face of global ecological crisis, humanity retains its capacity for the unexpected.
The COP16 event also offers a few lessons for event planning in general:
Expect the Unexpected: Even the best-laid plans can encounter logistical hurdles.
Embrace Flexibility: Be open to unconventional solutions, especially in high-demand locations.
Think Local: Leverage unique local resources to your advantage.
Prioritize Guest Experience: Ensure comfort and convenience, even in non-traditional settings.
So the next time you run into adversity when you’re planning a conference, consider the unconventional. A little bit of passion, a dash of the unexpected, might be just what’s needed to spark true innovation. And if all else fails, there’s always the heart-shaped Jacuzzi.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
Photo by Getty Images For Unsplash+
