The complete corporate event planning checklist (Gulf edition)
A Gulf corporate event needs planning across eight tracks: objectives and budget, venue and permits, suppliers (AV, production, catering), guest management, run-of-show, branding and stage, on-site logistics, and post-event reporting. Start 8–12 weeks before the event date; in Saudi Arabia allow 30–90 days for GEA, civil defence and municipality approvals depending on scale. Typical budget split: venue 20%, production 35%, catering 20%, talent and content 15%, contingency 10%.
- The 12-week planning timeline
- The eight tracks every event runs on
- Permit lead times by country
- Realistic budget split