Event protocol: keys for professional and effective management

A strategic approach to ensuring that events—both formal and informal—are carried out as planned. Below are key aspects to consider when establishing event protocols that guarantee their success.

The event management sector continues to grow. While 2024 revenue figures are still pending, it is widely expected that forecasts released at the beginning of the year by the Association of Spanish Event Agencies (AEVEA) will be confirmed, projecting a 26.3% increase in budgets and staffing compared to the previous year. This shows that we are in a growing industry that is becoming more professional year after year.

One of the key drivers is the implementation of protocols that ensure the success of these types of activities, ranging from professional and corporate events to institutional, leisure, cultural, and music-related initiatives. As a result, this is an area that is increasingly attracting more people who see event planning and management as a field full of opportunities to explore.

In this article, we focus on the importance of event protocols as a guarantee for the efficient execution of organized activities. But what exactly are they? What role do they play, and who is responsible for managing them? More details can be found in this article about this still relatively unknown but highly important tool.

What is protocol in an event?

Protocols are generally the set of rules or guidelines that govern a specific activity or that are applied within companies and other organizations. To better understand their importance, these key principles define what event protocol consists of:

• Guidelines to be followed when organizing an event.
• Elements ranging from pre-event planning to execution. In other words, they are a series of rules and procedures to be followed from the beginning of an activity until its conclusion.
• All stakeholders involved in the event must be aware of them and understand the phase they are responsible for.

Event protocols vary depending on the type of activity for which they are designed. Thus, the step-by-step process is usually quite different for official events organized by institutions and public bodies compared to private or non-official events. In any case, rules and guidelines must be established to ensure everything is carried out according to the objectives of the initiative.

Organizations and event protocol: how they complement each other

The organization of protocol for an upcoming event involves several key phases:

1. Defining the key aspects of the activity: objective, budget, date, time, venue, and guests.
2. Establishing the rules to be followed by organizers, both during and after the event. This includes everything from how to address guests to seating arrangements and access to the venue.
3. Final evaluation of how the event was carried out, with the aim of improving the previously established event protocol.

For this set of rules and guidelines to work effectively, coordination between the different teams involved is essential. Both the organization hosting the event and those responsible for executing the protocol must work together to achieve a successful outcome. Several professional roles are involved in this strategy:

• Head of protocol
• Coordinator
• Work teams: those who welcome guests, seat them, and guide each step of the event flow.
• Communications manager

The human team involved in an event depends on its complexity, importance, number of attendees, and other factors.

Importance of event protocol

Event protocols are key to success, especially in large-scale initiatives with many attendees and guests. The size of the team involved depends on the scope of the project.

Having an event protocol is important because it ensures:

• Achievement of defined objectives.
• Creation of a positive image.
• Prevention of execution errors.
• A satisfying experience for all attendees.
• Detection of potential operational failures that could compromise the event’s success.

Examples of event protocols

Some examples of event protocols include:

1. Opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.
2. Swearing-in ceremonies for political office.
3. Music festivals featuring major artists.

In these cases, everything is controlled—from the reception of key figures to who assists them. For guests, seating arrangements and access to facilities are carefully managed. Event protocols are also essential for ensuring participant safety, which is why they are increasingly used across political, cultural, and social events.

Professionals aiming to work in tourism and event management can pursue a high-level academic program at the Master’s in Event Management and Organization. This program provides the essential tools and knowledge needed to build a professional career in this field.