Downtown America is as popular as ever for religious meetings. Downtown meetings can be expensive, but there are ways for budget-conscious planners to save money. Here are 20 cost-cutting ideas.
Cities such as Boston are teeming with universities and college students. Contact the music or theater department to inquire about hiring a student or instructor to perform at events or functions.
Not-for-profit organizations such as museums, art institutes, or historical societies often offer reduced rates for groups. And in Washington, D.C., the museums on the Mall are open to the public, free of charge. Entertainment venues such as aquariums, planetariums, city tours, sporting events, and theaters may have generous group packages.
One reason downtown destinations are popular is because there's so much to do, all within walking distance of hotels! So let attendees have an evening to themselves.
The sidewalks may roll up earlier in some smaller cities, but shops, services, restaurants, and attractions are often willing to be flexible to accommodate a group's specific needs.
Look for appropriate entertainers who are scheduled to perform in the city the week you arrive and see if they are available for your function. You can save money on travel costs, hotel accommodations, and meals.
Book acts and entertainers through CVBs and avoid the fees of booking through an agency.
Some downtown convention centers encompass more than one venue under their roof, such as the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, N.Y. The Oncenter combines a convention center, conference center, theater, and arena, which means that, along with lots of meeting and exhibit space, it is also home to the local symphony, opera, and a minor league hockey team. Groups that book meetings at the complex can get discounts on games or concerts.
Planners may be able to find savings through the local CVB via coupons or discounts on area attractions that can be passed on to attendees. In Cleveland, for example, the CVB of Greater Cleveland is offering free passes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to groups that book meetings in downtown Cleveland in 2004 to 2005.
Food and BeverageDowntown areas have an abundance of restaurants — often within walking distance of hotels — so let attendees sample the local flavor. By skipping a catered meal, your organizations saves money and attendees can eat on their own — and on their own budget.
Have waiters serve appetizers as opposed to offering them buffet-style. People tend to grab fewer samples when the food is passed around on a plate.
If another group is meeting at the same time and place, find out what they're eating. You may be able to negotiate a discount on food and beverage by simply asking the chef to make more of what the kitchen is already preparing.
Lunch is always less expensive than dinner. For a group function, consider having a major presentation in the middle of the day with a plated lunch, which is usually about half the price per person of a lunch buffet. Dinner is usually twice the cost of lunch.
For your dining and entertainment pleasure, a variety of restaurants are within walking distance of many downtown venues in most cities.
Deals, Coupons, and MoreWell in advance of the meeting, seek out local organizations as sponsors. There may be businesses headquartered in the city to which you're headed that may benefit from a relationship with your group.
Check with the local CVB. Some CVBs assist planners with housing services.
A winter meeting in Detroit or a summer event in Miami might be a good time to find great deals on hotels and meeting space.
Groups that book multiple meetings with one hotel chain or at one facility will have more leverage for a better deal.
They may be less expensive than big-name presenters, and you'll save on travel costs.
Instead of booking multiple minicoaches, reserve fewer large buses to transport attendees to events around town.
In cities where the airport is not too far from downtown, many hotels offer complimentary bus service.