Who is on the hook when a large event is canceled: the planner or the location? The question is increasingly coming, because global instability reforms the landscape for meetings and events.
Trybe, for women-oriented conference, canceled the inaugural May event in Las Vegas, Cithback against diversity, fairness and inclusion. The Air Force canceled its conference of the Indies Days from 2025 Life Cycle in March. The Georgia Public Health Association has canceled STI 2025 conference in February. These are just a few cancellations that are linked to the political shift. Industry leaders expect more.
AirtTHT contracts have never been so important.
In addition to a solid contract, a clearly mentioned ‘goal of the event’, said Heather Reid, independent event planner, event contract expert and founder of Planner Protect Inc.
This is to summarize the overview of the goals, the public and the programming. “If the primary specified success factors are prevented from being achieved for reasons outside the organizer of the event and or the supplier partner, the organization can refer legal adviser to the summary document to justify termination,” said Reid. “It lays the foundation for contract clauses to apply if cancellation or disruption occurs.”
Reid shared the following example:
ABC 2026 is the flagship event of the association. It includes the two-day educational conference, fairs and off-site evening events. The annual event collects the members of the association that are care providers and their families, ABC staff and families and sponsors and exhibitors. The conference is financially dependent on lusts generated by sponsorship, exhibition costs and participant registration fees. It is not viable if one of these sources of income is considerably in danger.
Continuity, rescued or cancellations and alternative schemes must also be clearly defined in the back.
Build flexibility or pay the price
Jonathan Howe, legal expert, president and founder of Howe & Hutton, urges planners to prepare for disturbances. I have recommended “Frustration of Doel” Clauses. They apologize for contractual obligations when unforeseen events pure pure undermine the core of the agreement.
“The event must be outside the control of the parties, not because of Eithher’s fault, and no risk that was adopted when the contract was made,” said Howe.
He also advises including clauses to tackle the volatility of the price.
But getting that protection is not easy. “Hotels and suppliers usually expect that groups only bear the risks,” says Joshua Grimes, lawyer at Grimes Law Offices. “The push back on ‘frustration of goal’ clausules unless planners are on the start ideal by making them ‘must-haves’ in the RFP.”
Ultimately, a well -made contract, supported by targeted documentation, can be the difference between a manageable disruption and a costly legal or financial crisis.
