Event venue finding in 2025 continues to challenge corporate and association planners, with well-documented struggles in the hospitality industry translating into slow response times and inconsistent communications. Plus every shortening lead times are making availability a real challenge. However! The good news is that Cvent’s 2025 Planner Sourcing Report recently revealed a massive 90% of European planners feel positive about events this year. Woo hoo!!
The appetite for creativity and connection is clear. But optimism doesn’t mask the imbalance of planners being strapped for time and resources, while many suppliers are grappling to keep pace.
In this article, we’re taking a closer look at the current reality of event venue finding, including what event planners are looking for as minimum criteria at the initial venue finding and supplier sourcing stage. We’ve been working on lots of our repeat events to get them sorted for 2025 so have had A LOT of experience recently!
The Pressure of Event Venue Finding is On – and Tech is Stepping in
According to the Report, more than a fifth of event planners are working with limited team resources, and almost a third face significant time management challenges – and of course that’s nothing new for us. For these reasons, you’re probably one of many looking to lean on the new wave of digital tools and experimenting with AI to:
· Research venue specs (42%)
· Read reviews (37%)
· Handling negotiations (38%)
In addition, we all want instant, upfront online access to resources like room capacities, floorplans, images, and sustainability policies. Accordingly, hotels and venues falling short with their online presence aren’t even making it on to your shortlists. It drives me MAD when hotels can’t give you even the most basic information on their websites.
This is where contemporary event venue finding platforms come in, giving hotels and venues the opportunity to really sell their spaces to you digitally, rather than uninteresting listings and half the picture you need to make a decision.
These sites are great places to kick off the brainstorm, even when using a dedicated event venue finding agency or event management company to do everything for you.
Top 5 Time-Saving Online Venue Search Resources
So, which tech tools are out there to help take the headache away??
The most popular that we’ve come across and occasionally use are:
· HeadBox – AI-powered meetings and events platform
· HireSpace – The UK’s highest rated venue platform
· micebook – Digital hub for global event planners with a unique focus on destinations and incentive groups as well as just meetings
· Private Dining Directory – Private dining & reception rooms for any event or simply dinner – particularly GREAT for London venues
· Venue Finder – Free UK and international event venue finding service
Similarly, new players like Trinity Conferences’ Edge Venues are also entering the mix, with AI-enhanced tech to help planners match with the right venues at the push of a button.
It’s all very ‘now’. But, can you actually rely on it to do everything apart from make you a protein pancake?
The answer is probably not. And what you really, really want is something more nuanced that tech alone can’t deliver in the absence of human input.
Ultimately, it’s very, very unusual that your event will fit into the cookie cutter boxes that these tools give you. That’s why we love working in this industry right?!
What Planners Need at Enquiry Stage
You want customised and thorough proposals even faster. In fact, the Report shows 83% of event planners expect RFP responses in four days tops and, quite frankly, there’s no excuse for venues taking longer than this.
What’s more, proposals can’t be generic. You want resources like:
· Interactive diagrams
· 3D tours
· Responses customised to the specifics of the event – not a day delegate rate when you’re looking for a networking brunch with breakout sessions!
Furthermore, you want to prioritise planet alongside proposal.
Sustainability is Expected, not Optional
According to the Report, one in four event planners are concerned about aligning their event strategies with the business’s overall ESG objectives. Correspondingly, more than a quarter are favouring venues with formal recognition for their eco-friendly practices.
And unsurprisingly, you want to know from the onset (e.g. at proposal stage) about visible and measurable sustainable credentials including (but not limited to):
· Waste reduction; removing the problem at source where possible
· Energy efficient lighting & energy; reusing rain water, biomass heat generation
· Showcasing local and minority owned suppliers & small businesses
· Supporting community initiatives
Ultimately, everyone is under mounting pressure to demand more detail, speed, and sustainability from suppliers, at the same time as many face staff and skills shortages behind the scenes.
As you can see, outsourced event expertise can be the solution you didn’t know you needed, bringing it all together, easung the pressure on both sides, and ensuring every base is covered.
Big Asks. But it Can be Simpler
At Brightspace Events, we help corporate and association planners bring clarity, calm, and expertise to a crowded marketplace, whether you need full-service event management or just event venue finding help.
We speak the language of tech.
And we’re at the heart of the event sustainability community, working with the most committed suppliers and up-to-date measurement tools.
Get in touch for your most strategic and sustainable event venue finding yet
