The Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), with travel industry research company PhoCusWright Inc., published in mid-May a white paper entitled "Enabling the Online Marketplace for Meetings: A Toolkit."
The report, created with supporting data from PhoCusWright's research, describes the balance of interests between customers' needs for visibility, control, and access to preferred programs versus hoteliers' needs to optimize revenue and control distribution of availability of guest rooms and meeting space.
The report noted that the opportunity for automation in searching, comparing, and acquiring space and services for small meetings has never been more compelling. Also, HEDNA's Group Committee found that while technology already allows planners to book meeting space, group room nights, and manage attendees in real time, it is not yet possible to do all of it in a single online session.
Also examined is the question of how fast online migration will be, and how the balance of interests among corporate and leisure group meeting planners, travel distribution systems, and hotels will evolve. The white paper will help hotels assess readiness for deployment of an online marketing strategy offering real-time booking of meeting facilities, simple catering, audiovisual equipment, and guest rooms. It also serves as a practical resource for planning an online booking solution for small groups and simple meetings of up to 75 attendees.
According to PhoCusWright research, more than two-thirds of corporate meetings in the U.S. have 50 or fewer attendees, making the market ripe for such solutions.
Originally published July 1, 2008For more ideas, tips, and tools for better meetings and events,
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