SET The Show

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Arrival airports

Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Entertainment travel

Movement of touring artists, production crews, executives and their guests between cities, venues and hotels. It bundles flights, ground transport, room blocks and per-diem handling around show and tour dates, and is the buyer side SET: The Show is built around.

2

Production travel

Crew, equipment and load-in/load-out movement tied to build days and show calls rather than to public show hours. Usually booked later and with more flexibility than talent travel.

3

TMC (Travel Management Company)

Agency that runs travel policy, booking, reporting and duty-of-care for an organisation. Entertainment clients often use a TMC alongside specialist tour travel agents.

4

DMC (Destination Management Company)

Local supplier that handles ground transport, venue sourcing, staffing and off-site events in a host city. DMCs are the usual partner for wrap parties, off-site dinners and guest excursions.

5

Hosted buyer programme

Format where pre-qualified buyers receive subsidised travel or accommodation in exchange for a set number of pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors. Check on settheshow.com whether SET runs one and how applications are screened.

6

Per diem

Fixed daily allowance paid to touring crew, artists or staff to cover meals and incidentals instead of expensing each item. Rates are usually set by union, label or corporate policy.

7

GDS (Global Distribution System)

Booking backbone such as Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport through which agencies hold flights, hotel segments and profiles. Entertainment itineraries with frequent changes often stay in the GDS until ticketing.

8

Preferred partner programme

Commercial agreement that gives a hotel group, transport provider or DMC priority placement and negotiated rates inside an agency or consortium's booking flow, usually reviewed annually.

9

Consortium

Network of independent travel agencies that pools buying power for hotel and supplier rates. Membership often unlocks perks and amenity lines that matter to high-touch entertainment clients.

10

Room block and attrition clause

Pre-reserved hotel inventory for a tour or event, with an attrition clause setting the penalty if the group picks up fewer rooms than contracted. Negotiating the clause is a core traded skill at hospitality shows.

11

Site inspection / FAM trip

Familiarisation visit where a buyer walks a hotel or destination before contracting it. In entertainment travel these are usually squeezed between tour legs and focus on load-in access, security and quiet floors.

12

Black car / chauffeured service

Pre-booked sedans, SUVs and sprinters with vetted drivers, the default for talent arrivals, airport meet-and-greets and discreet venue transfers. Distinguished from app-based rideshare by fixed pricing and chain of custody.

13

Tour routing

Sequencing of cities, dates and travel legs for a tour. Good routing keeps flights short, avoids back-tracking and protects rest days, which is where transport and hotel suppliers win or lose the account.

14

Rider and advance

The rider lists contractual artist requirements (transport type, room specs, security); the advance is the call confirming them with the venue or supplier before the date. Both drive last-minute travel changes.

15

Travel risk and duty of care

Duty to track, locate and assist travellers during disruption, from weather to security incidents. Entertainment buyers increasingly ask suppliers for real-time tracking and 24/7 escalation.