29 Jan 10 Four Tips for Saving Money on Lodging
Whether or not you are planning an event on a limited budget, getting a great deal is always a bonus. When you can save your employer or corporate clients money on expenditures like lodging, they are sure to take notice and will be delighted to know they can trust you to work the best deals possible when planning their events, meetings or incentive travel packages.
Here are four tips to help you same money on accommodations when planning your next shindig:
1. Be flexible. If you can be flexible on dates and days of the week, you can usually negotiate a better room rate for your attendees’ lodgings.
2. Limit Attrition. Do your best to get a solid grasp on how many attendees you expect. This will help you reserve the correct amount of rooms, avoid promising room blocks that you might not be able to meet, and establish a good relationship with hotels you may be using again in the future.
3. Opt for second-tiers and suburbs. By avoiding the top destinations, you will find that rates are much more affordable just a few miles away, or in suitable cities that just happen to not be on the A list.
4. Negotiate reservations for multiple events at the same time. If you have several clients interested in using a particular hotel for their meetings, or if your employer plans to return for an annual meeting year after year, this gives you more negotiating power when it comes to room rates.
5. Consider an all inclusive cruise event which will provide luxury accommodations, and include other amenities including gourmet meals, entertainment and top-notch meeting facilities.
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24 Dec 09 Are Private Jets Getting A Bad Rap?
Business travelers have flown on privately owned jets for years to achieve corporate objectives and goals. Lately, the public has been asked to raise an eyebrow over the use of a privately owned jet for business functions.
There are two sides to the private jet issue, and each business trip planner would be wise to weigh the benefits and costs carefully before assuming that public transportation is the right choice for your company business needs today.
FACT: Business trip planes come in three varieties:
- Company owned planes.
- Private hire planes.
- Public transportation planes.
FACT: Company jets are hard to maintain, and public transportation planes are not always giving business groups price breaks or any niceties while they travel today.
FACT: Private hire jets are suffering through economic woes with everybody else right now. These private businesses are often offering deals and discounts to keep their private planes in the air. Users and their pets receive luxury accommodations with some services, and many planes are available to meet your scheduling plans without charging for extra luggage or pillows.
When the going gets tough, the tough pick up the phone and check for the services that live outside of the box. Private jet rentals are affordable to some destinations for business teams that are traveling together for a meeting, convention, or getaway working weekend.
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30 Nov 09 Increase ROI on Meetings & Events
Most meeting planners have probably already read about how companies want more value than ever before from their conferences. While this can create more work for you, there are some things you can do to work out the kinks long before they happen.
Think Replacement
If you need to help the company keep expenses at a minimum, replace these meeting parts:
- Replace the reception with a working lunch — this will let people meet and network, as well as enjoy a meal together.
- Replace the open bar idea with team building exercises or mind storming training–these programs have a much better chance of improving the ROI than a bunch of drunk employees blowing off steam.
- Replace entertainment with a spa wellness trip. You will have more refreshed folks ready to work.
- Replace land based venues with a cruise meeting, and save as much as 40%. Cruising is all-inclusive, so planners may be surprised to know that meeting rooms, meals, A/V equipment and luxury accommodations are all included in one low price.
Think Reduction
What if the customer says, "Okay, these cost savings are great, let's get rid of the reception, evening entertainment, and and welcome reception open bar meet-and-greet! So what do we do on the last day, then?"
Get rid of it. Tell your client that not only will she not need to make the usual expenditures that don't improve ROI on the cost of the meeting, she can eliminate the last night's hotel bill as well.
By just replacing the non-ROI generating activities and events, you have already increased the value of the meeting. Your client will be grateful for that for a long time. And happy, satisfied clients translate to more meeting planning business for you in the future. So, it pays to find every way to cut out unnecessary expenses and increase meeting ROI for your clients.
Explode meeting ROI with a cruise event. Cruising offers a savings of as much as 40% of the cost of hotelvenues, since a cruise is all inclusive. Go to Seasite.com to use the state-of-the-art cruise meeting planner, and make your next company event a cruise event!
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21 Oct 09 The Blue Grotto on the Island of Capri
Blue Grotto Capri Italy
Summer seems barely over, but it is not too soon to think about next year’s bookings. A trip to Italy is a wonderful incentive, particularly if the lucky employee’s destination is the Island of Capri. Luxury accommodations are available at one of the island’s hotels.
The Grand Hotel Quisisiana Hotel, located in the heart of Capri, is a five star luxury hotel whose staff will pamper a weary executive or host a meeting in the hotel’s theater area. Two other five star luxury hotels grace the island: the Capri Palace Hotel-Spa and the JW Marriott Capri Tiberio Palace & Spa.
The island has many tourist attractions and the most famous has to be the Blue Grotto. The underground sea caves are renowned for their intense blue color and the silver light that floats through the walls. Recent investigations indicate that at least four Roman statues may lie underneath the turquoise blue water.
Those are not the only statues at the Blue Grotto. In 1964, statues of Neptune and Triton were pulled from the sea bottom. The sculpture of the sea gods are now on display in Anacapri. The recent diving survey indicates that four other statues may lie at the bottom of the sea. Additional sculptures are an exciting find for this island paradise and its visitors.
A trip to the Blue Grotto is an experience a hard working employee will never forget. It’s sure to inspire loyalty and demonstrates corporate appreciation of hard work and dedication.
Many cruise ships stop at Naples and Capri, so a group cruise is a great way to see the Mediterranean area. Why not make your next event an incentive cruise?
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