VENUE MANAGEMENT - 2025/6

Module Overview

A large number of global events are undertaken in fixed locations, such as hotels, theatres, stadia and purpose built event spaces. The choice of venue is a critical element of event management, typically based on capacity, price and location, but also more complex variables such as the venue's sustainability credentials, credibility, experience, accessibility and how the venue is managed. This module will provide a firm grounding in understanding the complexities of venue selection in event management. Additionally, many careers in event management are venue based, and managing venues requires knowledge and skills in addition to those of the creative event manager. As such, this module will review operational venue management to include diary management, venue marketing, catering operations, legal, health and safety and licensing considerations as well as how developments in technology and sustainability are impacting venue management.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

DELANEY Emma (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Categories, characteristics and ownership of venues
Business to business marketing of venues
Experiential marketing and the role of site visits and fam trips
Client priorities versus venue priorities
Requests for proposals (RFPs), hire charges and quotations
In house, subcontracting or outsourcing catering & AV
Contracts and recharges
Venue operations including health and safety, legal compliance and duty management
Venue sustainability and supply chain management
The impact of technology on venue development
Working in teams towards a common goal (planning a virtual site visit)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

A report which critically analyses the commercial, operational and strategic role of the venue manager.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate both the theoretical and practical skills they have developed in the module. The first assignment is a simulation of a task required of professional venue managers and as such it provides students with the opportunity to develop key industry skills and competencies. The second assignment provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the role of the venue in event design and delivery in a digital report.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Virtual Site Visit Practical (group) Students will present a virtual site visit to a specific venue and demonstrate available event space, key venue characteristics and essential operational information (e.g. catering options)


• Coursework (individual) Students will write a Report which critically assesses the role of the venue in event design and delivery

Formative assessment and Feedback:

Students will receive peer and tutor feedback on their plans for assignment 1. Students will have the opportunity to present a plan for assignment 2 and receive feedback on their ideas.

Formative feedback is designed to help students reflect on their collaborative progress and their individual performance to date and to identify opportunities for further development.

Module aims

• Develop students appreciation of the commercial and social significance of event venues
• Develop students knowledge of venue operations
• Develop students teamworking skills in a simulation of a professional scenario
• Enable students to critically analyse the venue manager and event manager relationship
• Enable students to critically assess the impact of venue characteristics on professional event design
• Develop students ability to critically evaluate the role of venues in event planning and delivery and reflect on career options in venue management

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Facilitate the development of students' knowledge of how event venues are managed and how they contribute to event design and delivery. Provide students with opportunities to collaborate towards the goal of conveying intricate information to professionals about venues in a digital format that aligns with industry standards of presentation. Provide students with the skills to differentiate between the role of the venue manager and event manager and to reflect on career opportunities within event venues. Improve students teamworking and communication skills as relevant to business-to-business relationships.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Interactive workshops which may include short lectures and a variety of team activities, discussions and presentations.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2193

Other information

Venue management will provide students with the opportunity to explore how digital tools and media are used in venue marketing and management.  In particular, students will engage with virtual site visit technology and digital information to simulate the role of the venue manager.  This will provide students with the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, understand how to build relationships in a commercial setting and experience working to professional standards of practice.  This venue management module will expose students to a different side of the events industry that has been experienced in the live event modules, thus providing greater employability and career development opportunities.  Additionally, through research and independent reading, students will be able to demonstrate a critical assessment of the role of venues in global event planning practices. 

This module adopts the University curriculum framework, which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Digital Capabilities, Employability, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities: 

Digital Capabilities: Venue management will provide students with the opportunity to explore how digital tools and media are used in venue marketing and management.  In particular, students will engage with virtual site visit technology and digital information to simulate the role of the venue manager.  

Resourcefulness and Resilience: This will provide students with the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, understand how to build relationships in a commercial setting and experience working to professional standards of practice.  

Employability: This venue management module will expose students to a different side of the events industry that has been experienced in the live event modules, thus providing greater employability and career development opportunities.  

Additionally, through research and independent reading, students will be able to demonstrate a critical assessment of the role of venues in global event planning practices. 

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.