Commercial strategy in hotels has transformed dramatically over the last decades. Rooms Revenue management moved from instinct to algorithms since the last 30 years. Yet, revenue streams haven’t evolved at the same pace – Meetings & events (M&E) is one of them.
NB: This is an article from Juyo Analytics, one of our Expert Partners
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Not because it’s less important, but because it’s more complex. And complexity is harder to measure and optimise
You Operate at the Centre of the M&E Engine
As an M&E leader, your responsibilities are:
- Responding to RFPs and managing the sales pipeline from lead to close
- Conducting site visits and property show-rounds
- Tailoring proposals and Negotiating contracts and terms with clients
- Handing off to Event/Conference Services for execution while maintaining the relationship
- Managing relationships with third-party planners, DMCs, and corporate travel buyers
- Coordinating with banquets, kitchen, front office, and AV during the proposal stage
- Participating in weekly BEO/resume meetings to align sales commitments with operations
- Coordinating with Revenue Management on group pricing and displacement analysis
- Evaluating whether to accept, counter, or decline group proposals based on demand forecasts
Often the last two points are the ones that get neglected.
The Two-Speed Commercial World
When it comes to rooms versus meetings & events, there are two clear realities.
Room revenue is optimised in near real time dynamically, continuously, algorithmically. M&E analysis is frequently retrospective you find out it went wrong after the event has come and gone.
Rooms teams monitor demand curves as they shift, adjusting pricing on the fly based on pickup, pace, and competitive positioning. M&E teams are left juggling rate cards, space holds, F&B minimums, room block commitments, displacement risk, and seasonal patterns with no real-time signal to guide them. There are simply too many variables in play, and without the tools to process them, decisions default to gut feeling and experience.
And yet, meetings & events is often one of the most volatile and strategically influential revenue streams in the hotel. When you get it right, it lifts the entire property. Get it wrong and the impact is significant.
