Meetings Today - April 2018

the bed have at least two outlets?” he said. “No one wants to have to crawl under the desk to find an outlet. Can you plug your computer into the TV for video streaming?

These are becoming basics, but hotels don’t always have them.”

Rising Costs

Site selection in the midst of today’s robust seller’s market means asking comprehensive questions about cost; questions that go beyond room rates and food and beverage minimums, according to Renee Radabaugh, president and CEO of Paragon Events.

“You have to take in the whole picture
and the whole cost because it’s often the
seemingly little things that turn out to be
big problems,” she said. “How far is the
hotel from the airport and what’s the cost
of transferring? Are there resort fees and
can they can be waived? Get price lists for
audiovisual. Make sure there aren’t any
attrition fees you’re not aware of. Prepara-
tion before the visit and getting answers to
the right questions are necessary to make a
smart decision.”
Jessie States, manager of professional
development for MPI, recommends that
planners share their goals and objectives
for the meetings and events with the venue
hosts when inquiring about rates.

“Your venue may not be able to host your
initial ask within your budget, but if they
know what you are trying to accomplish,
they may have even better and cheaper
options to help you get there,” she said.
“Be honest and look for win-win scenarios
where everyone comes out ahead.”
Mary Smith, event director for Smith-
Bucklin, said that coming to the site visit
with comprehensive data on meetings
history is essential for keeping costs down.
She recommends including such facts as
actual room block pickup, previous years’
hotel rates and total F&B spending.

“Data helps with negotiating contracts for the site selection and also helps you make the case for lower rates or fee reductions,” she said. “Provide all relevant data so the venue has a clear picture of your event.”

Ethics

Perhaps the touchiest of all site selection considerations has to do with whether or not the destination or venue will raise ethical concerns among the organization conducting the meeting. According to States, 96 percent of respondents in a recent MPI Meetings Outlook report said their organization’s ethical stance impacts their meetings-related decisions.

“Evaluating your audience’s and organization’s priorities will help you make decisions based on the types of places and spaces to hold events,” she said.

Radabaugh agrees that planners need to address the concerns of the organization when considering a site.

“It’s particularly crucial when a destination has a policy in conflict with a certain segment such as immigrants or the LGBT community,” she said. “Then it also becomes a safety and security issue for the group. You have to make decisions based