In a breakout room of about 1,000 square feet, this session set-up allows the maximum number of socially distanced attendees in a room this size. Adding a small seat-side table would allow attendees to take notes or set down a phone and a drink.

Another 1,000-square-foot breakout room offers larger tables, rather than smaller seat-side tables, cutting capacity to 12 attendees.

During breaks, attendees can interact four at a time around cocktail tables, with floor signs to remind people to maintain their distance.

Outdoor spaces can use seating pods that allow for smaller conversations while distancing.

For general sessions, Marriott suggests that planners use zones to keep segments of up to 200 attendees together rather than allow for unfettered interaction in the ballroom among a large group.

This illustrates two attendee seating options: in the front, small seat-side tables; in the back, round tables in front of attendees.

Food-and-beverage service will be more labor intensive under pandemic protocols, as servers will prepare and hand attendees the plated items they choose from buffet stations separated by plastic partitions.

Besides using 10-person rounds to accommodate just four attendees at a time for meals, large square tables are another option, as are smaller restaurant and cocktail tables seating two people each. For pre-plated meals, the use of plastic wrap or plate covers over each meal is suggested.