In today’s hotel industry, much of the strategic conversation continues to revolve around room revenue. Average daily rate (ADR), RevPAR, and occupancy remain the primary levers for most general managers and revenue directors. Yet, as demand shifts and cost pressures mount, the Meetings & Events (M&E) segment deserves far more attention than it currently receives.
In this first episode of MICE MICE Baby, a conversation focused on the Hotel M&E environment, we talk with Peter Brauer of Get Into MoRe and Don Bundock of Quality Track, about DDR, M&E Revenue Contribution and the future impact of AI on Meetings and Events
NB: Get Into MoRe and Quality Track are both Expert Partners
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The DDR Debate: Transparency vs. Tradition
The discussion around Delegate Day Rates (DDR) highlights both the opportunity and the challenge in this space. Unlike transient room rates, which are widely accessible through online distribution platforms, DDRs remain opaque. Outside of certain European markets, DDRs are quoted less than half the time. More often, hotels respond with bespoke, à la carte proposals.
On the one hand, this approach protects flexibility and yields. On the other, it creates friction for buyers who increasingly expect the same ease of comparison they enjoy when booking rooms. While some chains now allow instant booking of small meeting rooms online, the leap to a true DDR comparison tool is still distant. The barrier is not technology – it’s mindset. Hotels must decide whether transparency in M&E pricing is a risk or a growth driver.
M&E as a Revenue Contributor: From Afterthought to Strategy
The larger question is not about pricing tools, but about M&E’s place in the revenue hierarchy. Too often, budgets start with room revenue, followed by F&B, and finally, M&E “tacked on.” This undervalues a complex, high-potential revenue stream.
Consider the efficiency of group bookings: longer stays reduce housekeeping costs, catering revenues add to profit, and meeting packages drive ancillary spend. When analysed holistically, an M&E-driven week may well outperform a transient-heavy week in terms of GOP. Yet many hotels still lack the systems – or the will – to measure this properly.
Forward-thinking operators are beginning to treat M&E with the same rigor as transient business. By measuring profitability per square metre of event space, linking cost savings from longer stays, and comparing actual margins across segments, they gain clarity on where true value lies. For hotels with significant function space, this is not a side conversation. It’s a strategic imperative.
The AI Shift: Threat or Opportunity?
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how buyers research hotels for meetings. Corporate clients and event planners are using AI tools to shortlist venues that meet specific requirements – square footage, breakout rooms, AV capabilities, and more. Unlike Google searches, which can be manipulated by paid placements, AI queries return clean, consolidated information.
For hotels, this cuts both ways. Properties with detailed, accurate content about their M&E facilities are more likely to surface in AI-driven searches. Those with vague or outdated online information risk invisibility. In short, content strategy has become revenue strategy.
Moving Forward
For general managers and revenue directors, the call to action is clear:
- Measure what matters. Don’t stop at ADR. Evaluate total profitability across M&E, rooms, and F&B.
- Invest in transparency. Consider where publishing clear DDRs or instant-booking options could accelerate conversion.
- Prioritize content. Ensure your M&E offering is described with the same precision and visibility as your room inventory.
- Champion mindset change. Elevate M&E from “supporting act” to “core revenue driver.”
The hotels that win in the next cycle will be those that recognize M&E not as an afterthought, but as a critical, resilient, and highly profitable revenue stream.
