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Satisfying Attendees - Lodging Preferences
To engage and benefit attendees who have traveled to participate in your meeting, function or event, you need to know what will make them feel comfortable AND motivated during their stay. Overnight lodging will have a big affect on their overall enjoyment and productivity. If they are uneasy in the hotel environment and don't sleep well, or if they are worried about the cost of their stay, they will be distracted and will find it more difficult to stay focused on the meeting objectives.
Another reason why you need to understand about your attendees lodging preferences is the financial risk to your organization if you contract for a group block of sleeping rooms for them at or near the meeting or event site but they decide to stay elsewhere. When you contract for a block of rooms, you will be responsible for paying for a specified number of them whether they are actually occupied or not! An attrition policy will be included in the contract that states the number of rooms you will be responsible for paying. The policy may be negotiable based upon your overall program at the hotel or lodging venue, but it is rarely waived.
It may be just a matter of asking those in charge of planning the program if they are already familiar with the group dynamics. But if you are required to do the research yourself, you will need to set aside the time required to complete a survey about hotel preferences or assign the job to a task force or committee to do it for you.
What you need to know about attendees before choosing overnight accommodations -
What type of sleeping room accommodations will the targeted audience expect?
- Luxury, standard or budget hotels
- Other types of properties such as Bed & Breakfast
- Full or limited service
- Metropolitan, suburban or rural areas
- Health club and spa facilities |
| Will the individual pay for sleeping rooms or will an organization pay their expenses? |
| Is the group meeting for business or social reasons? |
What age group?
- 21 to 65
- Seniors
- Youth |
| Mostly men? Women? Even mix? |
| How many will need special assistance? What kind? |
| Are there cultural differences to be considered such as diet or language? |
| Will nearby attractions or recreational activities be important? |
What type of food and beverage will be preferred?
- Gourmet, American cuisine, casual or fast food
- Full lounge service, beer and wine, non-alcoholic
- Restaurant facilities on-site or off-site preferred |
How to find the answers -
If you don’t already have history from previous events that give some indication about attendee hotel or lodging preferences, prepare a script of questions to ask then try one or a combination of the following methods to get answers:
Select by random sample a representative group from those on your invitation list to survey -
- Send broadcast email to those selected
- Assign a task force to make phone calls |
| Post an inquiry on the group’s web site or online network |
| Contact other groups with similar interests and demographics that met recently and ask them to share general information about what differences if any they observed in the lodging types their attendees booked and if the number of rooms actually used increased or decreased from previous years. This is a good way to begin establishing a useful network among your colleagues cross-country. Avoid discussions about guest room rates. |
| Ask vendors and venues with whom you have worked in the past about current trends they have observed among groups like yours, particularly in the location you are considering for your meeting or event. |