Определения(eng)]

All-Suite-Hotel: 

A hotel that features rooms larger than typical guest rooms, with a living or working space separate from the bedroom(s). 

 

Complete Meeting Package: 

An all-inclusive pricing plan offered at conference centers. 

 

Conference Center: 

A property specifically designed to handle group meetings.  Conference centers are often located outside metropolitan areas and may provide extensive leisure facilities.

 

Convention: 

A meeting of delegates for action on a particular matter.  Usually involves a general session and supplementary smaller meetings.  Conventions are produced with and without exhibits.

 

Destination Management Companies: 

Professional management companies specializing in the design and delivery of convention events, activities, tours, staffing, and transportation, utilizing local knowledge, expertise, and resources.

 

Globalization: 

The international consolidation of big business and growing trend for countries to allow free transfer of goods and services across national boundaries. 

 

Professional Congress Organizer (PCO): 

European term for DMC (Destination Management Company).  Local supplier who can arrange, manage and/or plan any function or service an event.

 

Second-Tier-Cities: 

Smaller cities and suburbs of major cities that offer the meeting planner an attractive location and at the same time provide less costly accommodations and transportation.

 

Trade Show: 

An exhibition with displays, generally held within a trade industry or discipline.  May be independent or in conjunction with a convention.  Not open to the general public.

 

Вопросы- ответы

1. Why is it important for hotel people to understand the differences between various types of meetings? After all, aren’t all the definitions synonymous? It is important to understand the various differences in terminology in order to grasp the kind of event the client is trying to produce and to help the meeting planner to effectively carry it out.  Much of it has to do with the projection of a desired image.  While meeting descriptions are not scientific terms, but loose, often interchangeable ones, proper terminology can help people work together to achieve a tone or image for an event, and in that sense terms are important. (Page 11)

    

 

2. Distinguish between:Congress & Conference: The term congress is most commonly used in Europe in international events.  It   usually refers to an event similar to a conference in nature.  Oddly enough, only in the is the term used to designate a legislative body.  Attendance at a congress varies a great deal.  A conference is a near-synonym for a convention, usually implying much discussion and participation.  The word conference is used in trade circles for regular meetings of a general nature. A conference program commonly deals with specific problems or developments and may or may not have smaller breakout meetings.  Conferences may be small or large in attendance. (Page 9)

    

 

Symposium & Workshop: a symposium is similar to a forum, except that conduct seems to be more formal in a symposium.  Whether by individuals or panels, the method is one of presentations.  Some audience participation is anticipated, but there is generally less of the give-and-take that characterizes a forum.  The workshop format calls for general sessions involving only small groups that deal with specific problems or assignments.  Whether or not the term is used, the workshop format is commonly used by training directors for skill training and drills.  The participants actually train each other as they share new knowledge, skills, and insights into problems.  Obviously, it is characterizes by face-to-face dealing, with a great deal of participation by all. (Page 9-10)

 

 

Trade Show & Consumer Show: The term trade show is used to describe a show that is held for its own sake.  In Europesuch exhibits, generally held without any type of program, are called trade fairs.  Another term used interchangeably is exposition.  Most industrial, professional, and scientific trade shows are not open to the public.  When large-scale exhibitions are open to the public, they are referred to as consumer shows (examples are home shows, flower and garden shows, auto shows and boat shows) and a modest admission fee is typically charged.  Because consumer shows are designed to attract a local clientele, they do not generate a large amount of room revenue for community hotels.  (Page 10)

 

 

3. As a convention sales or service manager, what are the types of meeting planners you might be working with? How are these planners different? There are four types of meeting planners. These are:

    

Full-time Meeting Planners: These planners know exactly what is required to stage a successful event and will be thorough and timely in presenting information and instructions to the hotel (Page 15)

 

 

Single Event/Part-time Planners: These meeting planners typically work for smaller companies or associations that do not have enough meeting activity to warrant a full-time meeting planner.  The experience of these planners will vary; some will have little or no knowledge of the mechanics of running a meeting and will look to your hotel for assistance.  It will be necessary to provide these planners with a timetable of the hotel’s needs and deadlines and to assure them of your commitment to helping them stage a successful event.  Other part-time planners have extensive knowledge of the meetings process. (Page 16)

 

Committees: As with single event or part-time planners, the experience of committees members may vary and the hotel may be faced with multiple or conflicting decisions.  You can minimize potential problems by suggesting that one person be put in charge and by offering your hotel’s expertise in helping to make decisions. (Page 16)

 

 

Third-party Planners: An increasing number of meetings are being booked by third parties, such as meeting management firms, association management companies and travel agents.  With third-party planners, you will be dealing with an intermediary, not directly with the company or association holding the meeting.  Most of these third parties are experienced planners, but there may be cases in which you will need to assist the intermediary; you must use discretion regarding contacting the group the intermediary represents. (Page 16)

 

 

4. How do conference centers differ from hotels? Conference centers, which are typically designed to accommodate meetings of between 20-300 people and generally host groups averaging 35 attendees, differ from hotels in several ways.  First, the design of conference centers typically differs from meeting facilities offered by hotels and resorts.  Meeting rooms are situated away from high traffic areas to minimize distractions, and offer conveniently located breakout areas that are constantly refreshed.  Since many conference sessions run for several hours, meeting rooms are designed for endurance and comfort and are equipped with commonly used audiovisual equipment. (See Exhibit 6, pg 19).  Conference centers also differ from hotels in terms of pricing policy.  Most conference centers offer version of the Full American Plan, a package price, available either per day or per person, that includes rooms, meals, breaks, meetings rooms, audiovisual equipment and other needs.  This “one-stop shopping” for a complete meeting package eliminates unexpected charges and is considered a real value by many meeting planners. (Page 17-19)

    

 

5. Why are many meeting planners choosing second-tier cities for their conventions?

    

Meeting Planners search for more economical sites.  In addition to lower room rates-an often lower transportation expenses-second-tier cities often offer better service.  Besides being enthusiastic about new business, and “rolling out the red carpet”, hotels in many second-tier cities often focus on one meeting at a time. (Page 21)

 

 

6. What are the characteristics of SMERF groups? The term SMERF (which stands for social, military, educational, religious and fraternal) has come to represent a major market segment for many properties because of the large number of room nights these groups occupy each year.  SMERF groups have three common characteristics: a) They are very price sensitive b) They are more likely to book meetings during the hotel’s off-season and c) They very often have nonprofessional planners who change from year to year. (Page 14)

    

 

7. Describe the competitive advantages of all-suite hotels in the meetings industry: All-suite hotels were originally positioned to attract two market segments: business travelers and the relocation market.  All-suites hotels, with their separate living rooms, complimentary “perks” such as breakfast and cocktail hours, and homey atmosphere serve as “temporary residences”, and are especially attractive because their features are available at rates competitive with standard hotel rooms.  First, all-suite hotels are ideal for board meetings and small training sessions as each suite can serve as a small breakout room, and the atmosphere is conductive to conducting both business and personal conversations.  Second, all-suite hotels solicit the smaller markets that are virtually ignored by the larger properties. Third, the worries about room assignments are eliminated-every attendee is offered a suite and therefore receives VIP treatment.  In addition, meeting planners of small, regional meetings find that attendees are willing to pay for the perceived value of a suite over a conventional hotel room. (Page 16-17)

    

 

8. Briefly describe the important and changing role of third-party meeting planners in the meetings maket:

    

Third-party meeting planners work as an intermediary for the company they represent.  These planners differ greatly in services and expertise.  Some offer only assistance in site selection.  Others assist with contract negotiation, on-site logistics and special event management.  Still others provide complete management for the association or corporation.  Most important to hotel properties, these third-party planners act as liaisons, bringing their clients’ needs for sleeping rooms, food and beverage and meeting facilities to hotels.  If problems arise, you should first deal directly with the intermediary; you must use discretion regarding contacting the group that the intermediary represents, only to the group after exhausting all other avenues (and thoroughly documenting your attempts to resolve problems). (Page 22)

 

 

9. Explain how technology is reshaping the relationship between meeting planners and the hotel salespeople:

    

New advances in computer, telephone and video technology have radically changed the ways hotels do business and communicate with clients.  This new technology includes: The Internet, Fax capability (including broadcast fax and fax-on-demand), E-mail, Video conferencing, In-room technology, and Bar coding.  Meeting planners now use the Internet for properties that meet their requirements, “tour” properties, and even auction their event for the best price.  While meeting planners still rely on site visits to make a final decision, an increasing number are viewing properties through the “virtual tours” offered on hotel web sites.  These tours, which vary in their degree of sophistication, are replacing brochures (including video brochures) and even CD-ROMs as an effective way to present property.  To keep pace with the changes brought about technology, today’s hotel salespeople are expected to be computer literate.  Not only will they be using the Internet for research and bookings, they will most likely use computerized applications for most aspects of the sales and process. (Page 26-27)

 

 

10. What is revenue management and how is it affecting the way hotels sell and service the meetings industry?

     

Revenue Management is a management approach to optimizing revenue, often based on managing revenue around capacity and timing (yield management) for different sources of finding.  Hotels receive combined requests for meeting rooms, and these requests come with a different profit margin, so you want to find the right mix that optimizes the one profit margin at the end for all the departments together.  This requires specific forecasting-demand for guestrooms with meeting rooms, meeting rooms with banqueting rooms, or banqueting rooms alone, meeting rooms alone. (Page 29)