What is a Destination Event?
Who qualifies?
Should planners bring RFPs?
What is Successful Meetings' policy on guests?
What are one-on-one appointments?
How does the qualification process work?
When will planners be notified if they have been accepted?
Can more than one meeting planner from a company attend?
Once accepted, what does being a hosted planner entail?
Why we ask for your credit card information on the RSVP/invitation?
Will we charge your card?
Are planners required to attend all the functions?
How does the room block work? Will attendees get a confirmation number?
What is a Destination Event?
Northstar Meetings Group holds events all over the country. These events are the ideal chance for qualified planners to learn about various unique facilities from knowledgeable suppliers while exchanging ideas and information with other planners. During the program you will conduct site inspections, attend educational workshops, one-on-one appointments with suppliers of your choice and develop new ideas and relationships that lead to better business and better events.
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Who qualifies?
Corporate/Association/Independent planners of meetings, event, incentive, training/conference programs or conventions, with verifiable meetings history for the region of the event (or similar region)
Planners with groups yielding a minimum of 50 room nights.
Planners that are considering the event destination as a meeting destination and have open meeting dates within 24 months of the event for which a site has not been selected.
Independent planners must indicate industries served and list specific clients.
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Should planners bring RFPs?
We encourage all planners to bring any live RFPs with them. Suppliers are ready and able to book business during the one-on-one appointments.
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What is the Northstar Meetings Group policy on guests?
We do not support a guest program for any of our events; therefore, we are unable to accommodate guests at any of the events and are unable to have guests attend any of the functions including the evening receptions. We often offer pre & post stays for discounted rates if a planner would like to take advantage of this opportunity with a guest.
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What are one-on-one appointments?
Our appointments are based on mutual matches, rather than an accept & deny basis. The process of listing your appointment preferences occurs 1-2 weeks prior to the event.
Upon arrival on-site all planners and suppliers will receive a registration packet with their appointments. During designated appointment times all suppliers will be in their tables, and planners will move to the exhibitor’s table . These appointments last for 20 minutes each and happen during the allotted time on the itinerary. You will hear chimes or a bell to notify when you should move to the next appointment.
Planners must attend all appointments and a minimum number of preferences will be set for selection for each event. We encourage planners to select vendors that are of immediate interest and those for future interest as well.
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How does the qualification process work?
When we receive the applications we go through all of them and verify past meeting history as well as call each planner (and/or their boss) to discuss their upcoming programs for that particular destination.
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When will planners be notified if they have been accepted?
Once the initial applications have been processed invitations/RSVP forms are sent out to those planners who have been accepted. We continue to accept planners after that time until either the program is full or we are a week out from the program dates.
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Can more than one meeting planner from a company attend?
We have a policy that typically allows only one planner to attend per company. However, exceptions can be made if there is verifiable information that two planners work at the same company but in different departments with separate programs and clients (i.e. Helms Briscoe or Conference Direct).
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Once accepted, what does being a hosted planner entail?
As our invited Successful Meetings University guest, each qualified planner receives complimentary round-trip air fare from most U.S. gateway cities, hotel accommodations, ground transportation in the venue city, all meals, registration materials, educational sessions and one-on-one business meetings with suppliers.
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Why we ask for your credit card information on the RSVP/invitation?
Since the program is free of charge, if a planner cancels less than 10 days prior to the meeting start date, after airfare is ticketed or does not follow the attendance guidelines set by Successful Meetings and listed on the RSVP/invitation (below), then we will charge the card in an amount equal to any and all costs incurred by Successful Meetings. See the cancellation policy in the registration application.
The agreement is as follows:
APPLICATION AGREEMENT: By completing this form and applying to be considered as a Hosted Buyer in this program, I declare and warrant that all responses provided herein are entirely truthful. I also understand that before qualification is determined, all information submitted herein will be verified by the Northstar Meetings Group Qualification Team, i.e.,NMG’s Team will be contacting third-party applicants’ clients – whose information will be requested during the interview period -- and/or checking with applicants’ supervisors. Please note: whether or not you have participated in previous NMG programs, our qualification team will be following up all applicants via telephone.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If I am accepted to attend the event, I understand there is no registration fee, and acknowledge that a significant investment has been made by Northstar Travel Media, the host hotel and other sponsors of the event to host my participation. I further acknowledge and agree that a required precondition of my attendance is to provide a valid credit card to hold my reservation, and that this card will not be charged unless one (or more) of the below circumstances occur:
Cancellation after booking your flight: Once you have booked your flight, due to ticketing policies, the full fare of the airline ticket and applicable taxes and fees is retained by you and available to be used toward a future purchase, minus a $150 change/cancellation fee. Northstar Travel Media reserves the right to charge your card the full fare of the airline ticket, plus any applicable charges as outlined below.
Cancellation within 10 days of the event: You will be charged a $150 fee should your company not provide a qualified substitute that is available to attend the event as your replacement.
Cancellation based on fraudulent representation: Should we determine that you fraudulently represented or misrepresented yourself, and/or the business(es) that you represent, we reserve the right to charge your card the $150 fee, air fare, plus any hotel guest room night charges that were billed to Northstar Travel Media based on your participation and resulting from your misrepresentation(s).
Partial or non-participation: Should you not fully participate in the appointments and social events during the event, Northstar Travel Media reserves the right to charge your card the $150 fee, airfare, plus any hotel guest room night charges that were billed to Northstar Travel Media based on your participation.
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Will we charge your card?
We will only charge your card if you breach the agreement.
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Are planners required to attend all the functions?
All program functions are mandatory for all attendees.
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How does the room block work? Will attendees get a confirmation number?
For planners - once you confirmed your participation and have booked your flights we will add you to the rooming list for those dates. Your room nights will be complimentary over the program dates; however, if you extend your stay you will be responsible to pay the rate the hotel offers for the additional nights.
Attendees of a Northstar Meetings Group Event will not get a confirmation number for their room since all reservations go through Conference Services and not the front desk. Any changes you need made to your reservation will also have to be done through Successful Meetings.
For suppliers - once you send in your registration you must contact the hotel directly to reserve your room. This contact information and room rate will be provided to you in an “Exhibitor Preliminary Logistical” email.