Lodging
Corporate conferences and meetings can potentially be significant income streams for hotels. Corporate groups help fill hotel rooms and often take advantage of other hotel amenities. Unlike leisure travelers, groups looking for hotels for corporate events are typically less concerned with where in the city a hotel is located and more interested in what amenities are available inside the hotel that can add to their event’s success. However, marketing to these groups can be challenging. Many hotels have ballrooms and corporate meeting spaces available, so what does it take to stand out from the competition? The first step towards booking more corporate groups is understanding what planners look for in a meeting venue. Learn how to book corporate events at your hotel with these three tips.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
Corporate guests will generally spend more time in a hotel during their stay than a leisure guest. Hotels seeking to attract corporate conference and meeting clients should always make maintenance of meeting rooms and common areas a top priority. Stained carpet, old linens, and damaged furniture can all be huge deterrents for meeting planners. Any audio & visual equipment available for use must be well-maintained and in good working order at all times. Hotels should stress their commitment to maintenance in any of their marketing materials and make potential clients aware if the location has undergone any recent renovations or upgrades.
INCENTIVES
Apart from preferred room rates, there are many incentives that hotels can use to draw corporate groups. Hotel incentives like discounts on amenities such as in-house spa treatments and room service will encourage guests to continue to spend money within the hotel during their free time. For corporate events spanning several days, it’s not uncommon for meeting planners to schedule off-site activities for at least a select number of their group members. Hotels that partner with local activity providers, like tour guides or golf courses, should offer their assistance in scheduling any outings.
FOOD & BEVERAGE CHOICES
The quality of a hotel’s food and beverage offerings can be a major deciding factor for meeting planners. In order to remain competitive and as consumers expectations continue to rise, many hotels have worked to drastically improve the quality of their catering menus. Whether the corporate client prefers grab-and-go lunch boxes or plated service, hotels should be prepared to offer fresh, high-quality options either way. Larger groups will almost always expect hotels to be able to accommodate any guests who are vegetarian, gluten-free, or have another common dietary restriction.
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