Corporate Travel Destinations

Meetings need to be impressive, especially when they are open to the public and/or consumers. Even meetings with partners, suppliers, and industry peers are important enough to plan ahead for. The problem is that quality always comes at a price, and it is difficult to find the right balance between quality and price. Follow these simple pieces of advice to strike the best deal:

• Balance – Start by understanding that there is a balance between quality and price, and be willing to make a definitive line in the sand to ensure that you do not spend too much or cut costs too low.
• Negotiate – Nearly every service can be negotiated with, so be willing to see how flexible caterers, chair rentals, and even facility management companies are. Chances are good that they may be more flexible than you might initially think.
• Distribute the cost – Costs can be distributed to the participants in some cases via ticket pricing and/or over time with financing. If the company has a credit card with a long no-interest introductory rate, that might prove helpful when paying for services that do not have their own financing/payment options.
• Consider exchanges – Does your company have a valuable service to offer? If so, consider bartering to save even more money. Such an exchange could even result in referrals down the road that make working at or near cost a good idea.

One of the best aspects of cruise meeting planning is that most cruise liners have in-house planners and a complete staff to take care of virtually every possible need and/or want. The result is that anyone handling cruise meeting planning can be as thorough and detailed as they like, or they can go the other route and allow the in-house planners and staff to take over some of the burden. Here are a few examples to consider when determining how much effort to put into cruise meeting planning:

Most cruise ships have at least one chef, many now have upwards of five, and full catering staffs on call. This means that catering options are already available right out of the box, and amount of time and energy you spend planning meals and parties is up to you.

Virtually all cruise ships have activities directors, and many cruise ships reserve space upon request for group activities. If you need space for a meeting, or just a private social gathering, all you have to do is ask. The question is: where do you stop asking? The event/activity coordinator can probably handle a lot more than just setting aside a room if only they asked.

Save money and allocate resources more efficiently by determining which aspects of the meeting planning should be handled in-house and which can be well-executed by someone else.

Meeting planning is an undertaking that requires attention to detail. A meeting planner has to be intimately involved in all aspects of meeting planning. Detailed involvement helps to ensure the corporation gets the most for its money and that participants of the cruise event feel their time was well spent. When planning a group cruise, many of the details of typical meeting planning is already determined. However, determining which ship will be right for the group cruise event is not.

The type of ship chosen will be closely related to the type of cruise event being planned. For meetings at sea, it is ideal to choose a ship that offers the best group rate. Since there will be a large group of people for whom the cruise is being planned, choosing a ship that can accommodate large groups at reasonable rates will be essential. Some cruise ships are more adult oriented while others are more kid friendly. Cruise ships that are not designed for children will be more tailored to adult interests. The expectations of cruise event participants, the preferences of the organization, and the group rates available will help meeting planners determine which type of ship will be best.

The green meeting movement is in full swing and many companies are scrambling to make their meetings and corporate events as eco-friendly as possible. This can boost their public image, shows their commitment to limiting their impact on the environment and can make attendees feel good about the efforts being put forth; however, it can also mean higher pricing. In fact, the fear of significantly higher prices is one of the main reasons that other companies are not taking more steps to green their corporate meetings, events and travel. There is s a perception that going green automatically means doubling your event expenses and, while this certainly does not have to be the case, there are good reasons why some folks think this.

The problem is green gouging. Just like any new trend, there are some folks who see this as a way to make more money and are hiking up prices on organic or local food, sustainably-sourced products and other necessities for green events. Meeting and event planners should expect a slightly higher price on some environmentally-friendly items, which is completely justifiable; however, some venues are taking advantage of this opportunity to freely overcharge folks who care about their event’s impact.

Oftentimes, this can result from the fact they do not have the vendors to meet the needs of folks who need organic or locally-grown food and other essentials. This can be avoided by opting for venues that are just as committed to eco-friendly meetings as you are, and that already have established relationships with green vendors.