Some meeting planners are dead set against ever serving alcohol at one of their events, while others think it is integral to certain social functions and see no issue with letting the liquor flow at certain events. There are pros and cons to the inclusion of alcohol, but it is largely accepted as an appropriate addition to events of a social nature, evening and weekend events, and a variety of other occasions.

Before adding alcohol to the offerings, it is important to check with your client to determine if there are any particular reasons that it should not be included. For example, there may be cultural or religious reasons why alcohol should not be served at all, or should not be served on certain days or at certain times. Additionally, some clients may fear that having alcohol at a work event will tarnish their image, and in some cases they might be right. The public can be rather unforgiving when it comes to their perception of a company crossing the wrong line. When it comes to alcohol, they may see this as an unnecessary expense or as inappropriate, depending on the type of company hosting the event.

In general, including alcohol is not an issue – and will likely be expected, depending on the type of event – but it is always best to avoid making assumptions and ask your client directly.

Transporting meeting attendees in a chartered bus is an affordable option for meetings planned locally, as well as for transporting people from the airport or train station to the host hotel, or from the hotel to the convention center or meeting location. Contrary to the misguided assumptions that charter buses are a less than ideal option due to misgivings about bus travel in general, charter buses offer comfortable, clean transportation that can be absolutely luxurious.

To avoid complications and ensure a successful chartering experience, here are seven questions that should be considered before reserving a bus:

1. How many people do you need to transport?
2. Do any of the travelers have special needs that will need to be met?
3. What level of luxury do you desire?
4. Is the trip overnight? If so, you may need to make a hotel reservation for the driver.
5. How long is the trip? You may need more than one driver, depending on the number of hours that need to be driven each day.
6. Is your client more concerned about the cost or level of luxury provided?
7. Do you need a video-equipped bus? This can allow attendees to watch training videos, videos about the destination, movies or any other materials provided by you or your client.