Wichita, Kansas has the best of both worlds—it’s the largest city in Kansas, offering meetings and events of varying sizes the accommodations and transportation infrastructure they require. But its affordability, compared to other large Midwestern metro areas, may be a revelation to planners considering it for the first time.
“Planners who meet here are pleasantly surprised at how affordable we are where it matters—food and beverage minimums, hotel room rates, complimentary shuttles for fly in attendees and more. Equally as important, they appreciate how comparable we are to other major metro areas north and south of Wichita,” noted Mindy Lallier, vice president of sales for Visit Wichita.
Lallier added that Wichita suits various types of groups, from corporate functions like annual meetings, conventions, galas and conferences to association and specialty meetings of virtually any size.
“We have full-service hotels with more intimate meeting spaces if small groups desire privacy. We have a hotel attached to our convention center for large groups that want to be housed together and require more space. With multiple meeting venues, more than 8,000 hotel rooms and impressive offsite venues, groups find that we are flexible, affordable and easy to work with,” she said.
On top of that, new openings and upgrades to Wichita venues and activities bring exciting variety to the metro area. In 2022, WSU Tech will open the National Institute for Culinary and Hospitality Education (NICHE) in the historic Henry’s Building in downtown Wichita. The renovated property will feature state-of-the-art commercial kitchens, classrooms, demonstration kitchen, open-to-the-public food hall, student-run café, and rooftop event center.
The historic Hotel at Old Town will undergo renovations this summer, while a new Home2Suites (2021) and a new hotel connected to the forthcoming Kansas Health Science Center continue to add room options.
For after-meeting activities or special event locales, Topgolf will bring its highly successful golf experience to Wichita in 2023, and 115-acre Sedgwick County Zoo recently completed renovations.
[Related: New Developments and Advantages for Meetings in the Chicago Suburbs]
4 Fantastic Offsite Venues in Wichita
Chicken N Pickle
If you haven’t hopped on the pickleball craze, trying your hand at this accessible paddle sport paired with a team dinner may be the perfect time to join the trend. Wichita’s Chicken N Pickle can accommodate private events, with nine unique event spaces, onsite catering and 10 pickleball courts. Two bocce ball courts and four shuffleboard courts are also available.
B-29 Doc Hangar Education and Visitors Center
Located at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and spanning 42,000 square feet, groups can meet in the same facility that houses B-29 Doc, one of two B-29 Super fortresses that still flies. The plane is one of 1,644 that were manufactured in Wichita during WWII and has been restored to its historic flying status. Groups can utilize the hangar, lobby, conference room and maintenance area for events.
Wichita Art Museum
Since 1935, Wichita Art Museum (WAM) has been a fixture in the community, housing both contemporary and historic works. It also doubles as an impressive event venue, with the ability to host groups from 25-500. Planners can book the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall, which is a stunning reception space anchored by the colorful Chihuly Chandelier by famed glass artist Dale Chihuly.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park
This large, family-owned zoo is one of the most popular attractions in Kansas and sits just outside of Wichita in Goddard. It comprises 40 exhibits featuring 10 interactive stations, over 400 animals and 37 successful breeding programs. The park can host private events and offers corporate rates for admission and guided tours of the park.
Traveling to Wichita
Wichita’s drive-in access is hard to beat. It’s three hours southwest of Kansas City, Missouri, two and a half hours north of Oklahoma City and six hours north of Dallas. At the junctions of I-35 and I-135, and US Highway 81 and US Highway 54/400, Wichita is easily accessible via car from many Midwestern locations. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport is the largest airport in the state and offers nonstop service from more than 13 U.S. cities on seven major airlines.
Connect
Visit Wichita
(316) 265-2800
Read this next: How Downtown Kansas City Is Poised for Meetings Recovery
