Pulling the Plug: When and How to Cancel an Event

Although COVID-19 is dominating headlines today, there are—sadly—other triggers that compel planners to cancel an event. Here, the experts from our sister publications group, MeetingsNet, share smart strategies for dealing with event cancellations:

Sometimes, despite meeting planners’ best efforts, the unexpected interferes and blows up long-cemented plans. Canceling a meeting is among the most challenging tasks for a host organization—but it is also opportunity for planners to demonstrate leadership as they unravel a conference's tapestry with the same precision and professional attitude they used to weave it over many months.

Start with a Plan: Just as planners create a timeline and a communications plan for the rollout of a meeting, they need a disaster action plan to prepare for the unforeseen. Having a plan ready in advance will help take some of the emotion out of a cancellation … MeetingsNet