Successful Meetings - September 2008 - (Page 40) Planner’s Workshop CONVENIENCE > On Site VALUE As the economy softens and competition strengthens, more convention destinations are bundling their offerings at competitive prices, packaging transportation, food, and lodging, and meeting spaces together at a lower rate than if negotiated separately. Again, determine whether the location you are considering has a cooperative collection that includes hotels, restaurants, and meeting spaces— you’ll get a better deal. the surrounding area and what it offers. Are there top-rated restaurants and bars? Galleries or museums? Sports arenas? Interesting or historical neighborhoods or must-see attractions? Are they all within a short walk or cab ride away from the primary meeting space? As the convention business becomes increasingly competitive, cities will have to develop more creative approaches to the marketing of their destination—and explore exactly how they take into consideration the convenience, value and unique experiences it can offer its visitors. More convention locations are creating one-stop shops for meeting planners, providing a single point of contact for hotel, meeting space, transportation, and other needs for staging an event in their cities. In Atlanta, for instance, when a meeting planner contacts the sales department of any of the six hotels that are part of The Convention Collection at Centennial Olympic Park located downtown, a standard e-proposal is quickly generated through a preferred destination management company, confirming pricing and availability at the desired hotels and venues. Other cities have similar collections that, despite unique hotel brand offerings, act as a unified force and work towards a common goal—bringing convenience and value to the customer. EXPERIENCES While most meeting goers are obviously interested in the professional aspect of a convention or trade show, they also cite “having a great experience” in the destination city as a top priority. When researching locations, consider Michael Sullivan is the director of sales and marketing for the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta. He can be reached at (404)659-0000. The MEETING MASTERS Championship http://www.thegolfe.com http://www.thegolfe.com
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