Programme overview
Technical depth: Practitioner · Practical mode: Role-play
Introduction
A wrongly seated minister, a misplaced flag or an unescorted delegation can undo months of relationship building in a single moment. Many organisations host senior guests without a precedence list, a written visit programme or staff trained in the conventions their visitors expect. This Core Concept course equips the staff who receive VIPs and run official functions with the rules of precedence, seating, flags and etiquette, and the planning discipline behind a flawless visit. Through rehearsed scenarios drawn from several sectors, participants produce a VIP Visit Protocol Plan for an upcoming event.
Course Objectives
- Apply orders of precedence, forms of address and the rule of the right to guest lists, seating and introductions
- Plan VIP visit programmes, arrival sequences and itineraries with no gap in escort or timing
- Arrange seating and flag displays for bilateral and multinational events without precedence errors
- Adapt business etiquette, dining conduct and gift practice to guests from different cultures
- Anticipate protocol risks, accessibility needs and late changes, and recover from breaches discreetly
- Produce a VIP Visit Protocol Plan ready for the participant's next official event
Target Audience
- Protocol and public relations officers who organise official visits and ceremonies
- Executive assistants and office managers who receive senior guests and delegations
- Event coordinators responsible for VIP guests at conferences and corporate functions
- Guest relations and hospitality staff who serve senior visitors
- Corporate communications staff who support signings, launches and inaugurations
Course Outline
Day 1: Foundations of Protocol and Business Etiquette
- Protocol, Etiquette and Ceremonial: Definitions, Functions and Boundaries
- Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961: Precedence and Privileges Essentials
- Organisational Order of Precedence List Preparation
- Forms of Address and Titles Reference Sheet
- Current Protocol Practice Self-Assessment Checklist
Day 2: Protocol Rules and Cross-Cultural Frameworks
- Rule of the Right and Host Positioning Principles
- Seating Plan Methods: Head Table, Round Table and Conference Layouts
- Flag Order and Display Arrangements for Multinational Events
- Hofstede 6-D Model Applied to Business Conduct
- Erin Meyer Culture Map Scales for Meeting and Negotiation Etiquette
Day 3: Running VIP Visits and Official Functions
- VIP Visit Programme and Minute-by-Minute Itinerary
- Airport Reception, Vehicle Order and Arrival Sequence Plan
- Invitation Wording, RSVP Tracking and Guest List Control
- Official Dinner Etiquette and Dietary Requirements Matrix
- Gift Exchange Protocol and Hospitality Register Under ISO 37001:2025
Day 4: Risk, Sensitivities and Problem Cases
- VIP Event Risk Assessment Aligned to ISO 31000:2018
- Incident Coordination on the Day Using ISO 22320:2018
- Accessible Arrangements for Senior Guests Using ISO 21542:2021
- Precedence Disputes and Last-Minute Change Playbook
- Guest Complaint Handling Using ISO 10002:2018
Day 5: Role-Play and the VIP Visit Protocol Plan
- Delegation Arrival Role-Play: Greeting, Introductions and Escort
- Official Dinner Role-Play: Seating Dispute and Toast Sequence
- Seating and Flag Plan Build for a Multinational Signing Ceremony
- VIP Visit Protocol Plan Drafting
- Peer Walkthrough and Plan Defence
Skills You Will Gain
- Precedence Determination
- Seating and Flag Arrangement
- VIP Itinerary Planning
- Cross-Cultural Etiquette
- Guest List Management
- Gift and Hospitality Governance
- Event Risk Awareness
- Discreet Incident Recovery
Why Attend This Course
- Return with a VIP Visit Protocol Plan for a real upcoming event, rehearsed and checked by peers
- Walk into a room of senior guests knowing where each one sits, stands and is introduced
- Handle a precedence dispute or an unexpected arrival calmly and without embarrassing the host
- Compare protocol practice with colleagues who host delegations in other sectors and countries
Conclusion
Senior guests judge an organisation by how they are received long before they judge its proposals. This course moves from the definitions and conventions behind protocol, through precedence, seating, flags and cross-cultural etiquette, to the planning of visit programmes and official dinners and the risks, accessibility needs and last-minute changes that test them. The final day rehearses realistic arrivals and dinners, and participants leave with a VIP Visit Protocol Plan that gives their next official event a clear, checked plan from first invitation to final farewell.