Hoteliers, eager to attract more meeting business, are developing customizable, brand-wide meeting packages that make it easier for meeting planners and organizers to book with them. The two latest brands to do so are Hilton Worldwide and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.
Hilton: Meetings Simplified
Today, Hilton Worldwide announced its newest meetings initiative:
Meetings Simplified. The new program, which will apply to more than 1,800 properties in the U.S., offers per-person pricing for meeting groups of 25 attendees or less.
Hilton Worldwide’s Vice President of Product Marketing Solutions, Andrew Flack, says Hilton was prompted to offer this new package to accommodate more small off-site meeting groups. “Our hotels accommodate groups for meetings and events of all sizes, and Meetings Simplified provides our customers with increased flexibility through a process that’s easier and quicker than ever before,” said Flack. “A key benefit to business professionals is that Meetings Simplified offers per-person pricing and it’s easier to book.”
In the process of putting together the new Meetings Simplified promotion, Hilton Worldwide also conducted a survey of meeting planners and organizers that found that 63 percent of respondents believe meetings outside of the office are more productive, and that only 21 percent were able to book off-site business meetings in an average of 30 minutes of less. More information from Hilton’s
survey can be found here.
The basic Meetings Simplified package includes Wi-Fi, flip chars, soft drinks, tea, and coffee, and additional offerings that vary by brand. Planners can also choose to add meals and snacks, LCD projectors with monitors, and guest rooms using an a la carte menu. Participating Hilton brands include Hilton Grand Vacations, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, and Homewood Suites by Hilton.
In an effort to promote the new promotion, Hilton Worldwide has also launched a #MeetingsMonday Twitter Sweepstakes where followers of
@HiltonWorldwide can respond to Twitter challenge questions on how they use and book meetings between the hours of 11 am to 3 p.m. Eastern every Monday through Dec. 9. Winners will receive prizes that include a free one-night stay at a Hilton Worldwide property and 10,000 frequent-flyer miles on any one of Hilton’s U.S. airline partners.
InterContinental: Meetings Options
Last Wednesday, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts launched Meetings Options, a base package that enables meeting organizers to customize the meeting with their choice of three additional value-add options at 29 properties across Europe. The base package includes the following:
• An allowance for special cancellation
• Complimentary bedrooms
• A Day Delegate package
• Complimentary Internet access
• 40,000 IHG Rewards Club points (enough to be applied for a free night at a property worldwide)
The value-add options include:
• A bedroom upgrade to the next available room category or a welcome coffee break reception: The upgrade applies to one bedroom for every 20 bedrooms per night up to a maximum of four per night
• A complimentary cocktail reception of a 10-percent credit for your next meeting: The cocktail reception would consist of local wine, beer, and soft drinks. The 10-percent credit can be applied toward a second meeting held at the same hotel within a 12-month period.
• One in 10 delegates goes free or a complimentary office space: Planners can choose to have a complimentary Day Delegate Package for every 10 paid packages.
The Meetings Options package is only available for new meeting groups booked by Dec. 31, 2014, and held until June 15, 2015.