Planning your next event in Athens, Ga? You’re in for a treat! Wondering how to strengthen your negotiation game or need the lowdown on comp rooms? We've got you covered! We sat down with Visit Athens Director of Sales Elyse Worthey-Harris to get all the details on the best tactics to get you the best deal possible. At Visit Athens, we’re your local guide to a successful conference experience!
What info do meeting planners need to have on deck in order to have a strong case to negotiate room rebates and comps?
Meeting planners need to have information on the event’s actualized pick-up from past years, as well as have a clear estimate for their expected attendance for the year they are currently planning. This helps give the hotel some background on their attendance and ensures they feel more confident offering incentives for the business.
How does a comp room work?
A complimentary room is provided at no charge and is typically offered in a ratio format, or “Complimentary Ratio.” This ratio is based on actualized room nights. For example, a group offered a 1:30 comp ratio would receive a comp room for every 30 rooms that are actualized/picked up in the block. Since these are calculated based on rooms that actualized, the comp rooms are applied retroactively once the block has been checked out and all rooms accounted for.
What’s the best tactic for getting comp rooms?
The best way to get a comp room is to ask for them! At Visit Athens we are happy to be your advocate with our local hotel partners and negotiate a comp ratio that works for your group. Having strong details about your expected pickup based on previous conferences always helps, as well.
How does a rebate work?
Event planners often negotiate with hotels to receive rebates (money back) on hotel room reservations. For example, if you would like to use hotel rebates to help fund your event then you could ask the participating hotels to include a $5 rebate per actualized room night in the nightly room rate. Once the event has ended, the hotel would send the event planner the total amount collected. Your Visit Athens sales managers can help take the pressure off of you during this negotiation by working with our hotel partners to get you a great rebate as well as a nightly room rate that doesn’t break the bank for your attendees. As the local experts in our destination, we have built relationships with Athens hotels that make this process simple and effective.
How can Visit Athens help?
At Visit Athens, we act as your local guide and advocate in the city. We can work with you to negotiate the best possible event experience for you and your attendees while in Athens. The process starts by reaching out to our sales team, inquiring about your next event dates, and letting us know what you need from a destination to ensure that you have a successful conference. We can take it from there by functioning as your Athens-liaison with hotels, event venues, restaurants, and more. We can’t wait to share the Athens vibe with you!
