THE MEETING PLACE IN BRIEF
• LONDON'S Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) will close during late July and August for an extensive refurbishment programme to re-establish its 'wow factor'. The ambitious programme will include aesthetic and visual improvements to the Sanctuary Foyer and public areas, plus enhanced facilities such as improved wifi connectivity and new furnishings. The work is due to be completed by early September.
• FOXHILL Manor has re-opened as a new luxury venue on the Farncombe Estate following major renovation. Located just outside the market town of Broadway, in the Cotswolds, it offers bespoke meetings and retreats. Facilities include a ballroom with full-length French windows and orangery-style roof, and a more modern Media Room for smaller meetings. The Dining Room seats up to 18 guests.
• LONDON business hub, The Clubhouse, has opened a second location in Mayfair in response to the growing demand for high-end fl exible working and meeting space in the capital. Designed to a high specifi cation with a stylish members' club feel, The Clubhouse occupies a prime 6,000ft2 space at Fifty Grosvenor Hill in Mayfair. Facilities include com- plimentary refreshments, high-speed and secure wifi , and a range of high specifi cation meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 40 people.
• SOPWELL HOUSE in St. Albans has been given a multi-million pound facelift to provide a new level of 'contemporary, country house glamour'. The ground fl oor meeting and event area has been refreshed and the boardroom-style meeting rooms have been refurbished. They have capacity for up to 20 people and are now are equipped with new furnishings and 80-inch HD TVs with plug in and play connectivity.
• SEAHAM HALL, overlooking Durham's Heritage Coast, has extended its appeal to corporates by offering sole and exclusive use of its function rooms, lounge, restaurant and suites for the duration of their visit. The 20-suite hotel has refurbished its ballroom and satellite meeting rooms, and specialises in team-building activities.
Mercure and NH overhaul meetings
T
MIA UPDATE
Jane Longhurst Chief Executive, Meetings Industry Association (mia)
he majority of conference and meeting venues deliver excellence for their clients
as a matter of course and are increasingly conscientious in their efforts to achieve it. However, there remains an enduring obstacle preventing the two reaching everlasting harmony, and it could sour the relationship completely – it's the cancellation charge. From the venues’ point of view,
IN SEPARATE developments this summer, Spain’s NH Hotels and French hotel brand Mercure have each launched new meetings and events concepts. Accor-owned Mercure is intro- ducing a range of fully inclusive, flexible event packages across 70 venues this summer, plus enhanced catering, a commitment to quality, locally inspired events and the promise of a single point of contact before, during and after the event. “Mercure is already well known
for providing excellent meeting facilities in beautiful hotels across the country,” says Jonathan Sheard, SVP operations for luxury, upscale and midscale hotels, Accor UK & Ireland. “What we wanted to do with the Meet With Mercure concept is to build on this already
strong reputation and create a meeting concept that answers the needs of our clients.” Meanwhile, NH Hotels promises a
‘stronger and more complete’ offering under its new ‘NH Meetings: inspire, create, enjoy’ programme. It includes an improved advisory service for meeting and event planners, a commitment to responding to enquiries within two hours and a complete quotation within 24 hours, free wifi for all delegates, improved food and beverage options and a carbon offset option. Meetings and events account for
25 per cent of the NH Hotels group’s revenue, which operates nearly 400 properties in 28 countries across Europe, the Americas and Africa.
JURY'S INN BUILDS CORPORATE SALES
JURY'S INN has seen a significant increase in its corporate and meetings bookings following investment in its sales team and wider use of its Business Booker online tool. The company reports a 17 per
cent year-on-year increase in direct and managed corporate business which now accounts for 50 per cent of room sales across the whole of the Jurys Inn Group. Jurys Meetings has also seen a 13
per cent rise in revenue since the product launched in 2012. The company attributes this to the value of its inclusive day delegate
packages as well as the intro- duction of dedicated events, meetings and sales co-ordinators. “We’re immensely proud of our meeting product and we’re keen to take every opportunity to shout about it,” says Head of Sales, Marc Webster. “Seeing the direct results from making these small changes in the way we work just goes to show the importance of meeting people face-to-face. We are now a far stronger team and our aim is to continue to build on the successes of 2013 and look to grow our corporate and meetings business by a further 14 per cent over the next year.”
charging for cancellation of an event enquiry after it has become a confirmed booking is necessary because at this point they begin to incur costs. From the event organisers’ point of view, they cancel for reasons that are often out of their hands and then are charged by the venue anyway. They’re expected to pay for services they did not receive. Consider both sides and it’s easy
to see why this problem is difficult for the industry to resolve without conflict. However, compromises that protect the best interests of both parties are possible. Research conducted by the mia
revealed that in the past three years almost two thirds of venues changed cancellation charges in order to meet clients’ needs. This reflects an understanding by venues that event budgets are under constant review and their clients often need to change their plans at short notice. It is likely that cancellation charges
are being dropped or reduced as a display of goodwill, to keep the client ‘onside’. Does this work for the venues? Cancellation charges are questionable when the venue has not incurred significant costs. Buyers should take action upfront
to protect themselves. Broach the subject of cancellation charges and be sure you're aware of the venue’s policy on them. The AIM accredi- tation insists venues are open, honest, decent and ethical. It means potential cancellation charges – and the circumstances in which they will be applied – must be contained in a transparent contract so the buyer is aware of them before they go ahead with the booking. And they can of course negotiate. It’s an approach that can help build trust, relation- ships and sustainable business.
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 43
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