--- title: "Three Reasons to Host Your Next Meeting in a Smaller City" id: "61370" type: "post" slug: "three-reasons-to-host-your-next-meeting-in-a-smaller-city" published_at: "2022-09-20T14:00:35+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:07:48+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/three-reasons-to-host-your-next-meeting-in-a-smaller-city/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/three-reasons-to-host-your-next-meeting-in-a-smaller-city.md" excerpt: "Choosing a host city that isn’t shoulder to shoulder with residents means your attendees have a better chance of rubbing shoulders with one another." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Three Reasons to Host Your Next Meeting in a Smaller City Part of the Deep Dive[Renewal](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/renewal-meetings-in-the-post-pandemic-era/) You want your meetings to be big—in ideas, enthusiasm, and attendance. But you don’t have to go to a big city to achieve that. Midsize cities don’t always have the “household name” attractions of major cosmopolitan destinations. What you and your attendees get in return, though, is worth it. Hospitality, ease of navigation, better price points, all without giving up access to airports, culture, and rich history? Maybe it’s time to think outside the big city box. Cities with populations under 500,000—such as Columbia, South Carolina, which serves as the state’s capital as well as home to nearly 140,000 residents—have a lot to offer meeting planners. Here are three reasons to host your next event in a midsize city: ### 1. Smaller cities are more cost-effective. Money isn’t everything, but it’s an important thing—especially when you’re asking a large number of people from a cross section of economic situations to show up. “You have such a broad range of people who are involved,” said Susan Marie Jones, president of the [South Carolina Beekeepers Association (opens in a new tab)](https://scstatebeekeepers.com/) , which hosted a recent meeting in Columbia, citing not only varying levels of education but also a wide financial demographic. When deciding where your event is going to be, you’re also determining the cost to your organization and every would-be attendee. If you’re asking people to spend $400 per night for a hotel room in an expensive metropolis, you’ll be pricing a lot of people out. When it comes to what would sway her toward or against an event location, Jones said, “top of the list is affordability.” Midsize cities hit that mark. Even better, the lower price tags found in smaller cities don’t mean you’re in for a “cheap” event—they mean you’re able to maximize your funds and have more people share in the experience you’ve planned. “We look for the most value for the money,” Jones said. “We want accommodations that are close, affordable hotels … we want to have parking. We’re bringing vendors in, so we need places to park box trucks, trucks, and trailers. [We also want] restaurants close and affordable.” Renting out a Major League Baseball stadium may bankrupt your organization, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gather in a smaller city at [a minor league stadium with meeting space overlooking the field (opens in a new tab)](https://segrapark.com/eventspaces-segra-park) , such as Segra Park in Columbia. That kind of bang for your buck—and the bucks of your attendees—is something you’ll be hard-pressed to find in large metropolitan meccas. [Experience Columbia SC](https://associationsnow.com/author/experience-columbia-sc/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/experience-columbia-sc/) [ASAE](https://associationsnow.com/author/asaeadm/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/asaeadm/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [New Pricing Models for Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/new-pricing-models-for-meetings/) - [Sponsorship Options With Value for Everyone](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/sponsorship-options-with-value-for-everyone/) - [Tips for Budget-Conscious Meeting Planners](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/tips-for-budget-conscious-meeting-planners/) - [Clear Your Conference-Design Blind Spots](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/clear-your-conference-design-blind-spots/) - [Keys to Creating Inclusive Meeting Content](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/keys-to-creating-inclusive-meeting-content/) - [Digital Strategies to Extend In-Person Events](https://associationsnow.com/2022/09/20/digital-strategies-to-extend-in-person-events/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/renewal-meetings-in-the-post-pandemic-era/) ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2022%2F09%2F20%2Fthree-reasons-to-host-your-next-meeting-in-a-smaller-city%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !