BLOG

Venue Sourcing Is Now a Procurement Matter
— Not Just an Event One

Venue sourcing used to be perceived as a relatively simple task: compare locations, negotiate rates, secure availability.

That reality has changed.

Today, venue sourcing sits firmly within the scope of procurement, finance and governance, and is subject to the same scrutiny as any other strategic supplier decision.

Why venue sourcing is under increasing scrutiny

Corporate organisations face tighter controls around:

• Budget transparency
• Supplier neutrality
• Internal approvals
• Compliance and ethics

Venues represent significant financial commitments and contractual exposure. As a result, sourcing decisions are no longer evaluated solely on aesthetics or convenience, but on commercial integrity and risk management.

This evolution has forced companies to rethink how venue sourcing is approached — and by whom.

The problem with commission-driven sourcing

Traditional venue sourcing models often rely on commissions paid by venues to agencies or intermediaries. While this model is widespread, it introduces potential misalignment.

In procurement environments, the key questions become:

• Are recommendations truly independent?
• Are all suitable venues considered?
• Is the best commercial option being prioritised?

Increasingly, organisations expect venue sourcing to be transparent, neutral and defensible — not influenced by financial incentives behind the scenes.

Independent sourcing as a strategic choice

As expectations evolve, independent venue sourcing models are gaining traction. These approaches focus on:

• Client-driven briefs
• Transparent negotiations
• Clear contractual alignment
• No hidden financial mechanisms

From a procurement perspective, this is not a “nice to have” — it is a risk-reduction strategy.

Venue sourcing is no longer operational

Venue sourcing now impacts:

• Budget governance
• Internal reporting
• Contractual liability
• Stakeholder confidence

Treating it as a purely operational task is no longer realistic.

The organisations that succeed are those who treat venue sourcing with the same rigour as any other strategic procurement activity