Meeting planners and hoteliers, both eager to get back to work, are desperately looking for the right way to do so. To paraphrase a former secretary of defense, what we know is there are many known unknowns. Somehow, we have to plan for them.
Meetings organizers are hoping for more flexible hotel contracts to help facilitate that process, according to the latest Pulse Survey results from Northstar Meetings Group. More than half (51 percent) think cancellation terms will be more flexible, while 29 percent expect no cancellation penalties at all. Hoteliers are acknowledging and responding to the sentiment.
“We have been revising and reimagining various touch points of the meeting experience, from planning to execution, in an effort to address planners’ current and future needs,” says Asad Ahmed, Hyatt’s senior vice president of commercial services for the Americas. “As such, we have taken steps to incorporate additional flexibility into our contractual terms to give planners more confidence… We are continuing to explore additional opportunities as the situation evolves, including adding language about pandemics into standard agreements.”
Hilton and Accor, too, are considering more lenient terms. “We are fully committed to addressing the flexibility that customers need to navigate the current situation and to safely restore in-person meetings and events,” says Frank Passanante, senior vice president of Hilton Worldwide Sales for the Americas. “With that in mind, it is incredibly important that we work with our event planner partners to understand and agree on shared objectives and then work together to achieve them,” he adds. “Many of our hotels are positioned to utilize simplified meeting agreements and have introduced flexible contract language that addresses the issues of the day.”
Sweetening Contract Deals
Planners who are ready to book meetings for this year are likely to find favorable terms, as a growing number of hotel companies and destinations are offering limited-time promotions that promise flexibility, particularly with respect to attrition and cancellation penalties.
But larger companies won’t necessarily issue blanket deals that ease the terms. “As always, we aim to work with customers individually to create customized, innovative solutions to meet their specific needs,” says Hilton’s Passanante.
Still, planners should be aware of these deals, even as reference points as negotiations begin. A few examples:
