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Business Travel and Tourism

Page 188

The organization of business tourism events 169

Accommodation needs

Most business tourism events include the need to book accommodation, so let us look at

some issues relating to accommodation:

1 The grade or classification of hotels. In many countries, where there is an

accommodation classification system, there may seem to be little relationship between

quality and the official grade. This is because the grade is often based on facilities or

price, rather than actual quality. Organizations should, therefore, not rely on official

grading systems.

2 Hotels are traditionally organized on the basis of departments such as sales and

marketing, food and beverage, and banqueting. This can cause problems of co-

ordination as the sales department makes the promise to the customer but it is food and

beverage and/or banqueting which actually delivers the service.

Exhibit 11.1 Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises advertisement

What’s included in a

Royal Caribbean/Celebrity cruise

at no extra cost?

� Conference rooms and standard a/v equipment

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� 24-hour room service

Hotel? Sometimes Cruise? Yes

� Full board

Hotel? Sometimes Cruise? Yes

� Health club access

Hotel? Sometimes Cruise? Yes

� Spouse programme

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Twice-daily cabin service

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Free first-run movies

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Night turndown service

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Out-of-hours food

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Nightly entertainment

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

� Airline costs/round trip transfers

Hotel? No Cruise? Yes

Source: Conference and Incentive Travel (March 2000).

Page 189

170 Business Travel and Tourism

Table 11.3 Criteria for venue selection for a hotel with conference facilities

Subject Criteria

Location � Situation – urban, rural, coastal

� Surroundings – landscaped, concrete, derelict

� Accessibility – near major road, railway station, airport

� How easy is it to find?

Conference rooms � Number and capacity – adequate for the event?

� Quality – soundproofing, décor, blackout facilities,

cleanliness, seating, access, power points

� Partitioning – should cut out all noise

Accommodation � Number of rooms – are there enough, are there the right

number of singles/twins, doubles, family rooms?

� Quality – entertainment, room service, décor, facilities,

bathroom size, nice views, furnishings, etc.

Catering � Quality of food

� Speed of service in day time

� Variety of food

� Provision for specialist diets, e.g. vegetarian, halal, kosher,

vegan, etc.

� Quantity of drinks included in the price

� Where will participants be fed? Is it adequate?

Hotel facilities � Separate office in hotel for conference organizer during

event?

� Leisure, e.g. swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.

� Quality of public areas

� Car parking

� Audiovisual equipment

� Business centre with computer, fax, message, secretarial

facilities

� Availability of exhibition space of required

Human resources � Management: is it amenable, efficient, effective, supportive?

� Availability of specialist audiovisual technician

� Level of training of staff

� Does venue offer dedicated single contact person for the

event?

Social activities � What could delegates do in their free time?

� How easy would it be for them to access these activities?

Price � Published rate, e.g. 24-hour rate?

� Willingness to negotiate?

� Terms and conditions of payment

Ability to help organize

specialist services

� Photographers, entertainers, florists, etc.

Miscellaneous � Facilities for disabled participants?

� Simultaneous translation facilities?

� Access to meeting rooms for deliveries by vehicle?

� Press facilities?

� Storage space?

� Courtesy shuttle bus?

Page 376

Tourism
and Hospitality
in the 21st
Century
Edited by

Andrew Lockwood
and S. Medlik

Tourism and Hospitality in the 21st Century

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