One strategy many veteran meeting planners use to get the most return for their organizations’ event spending is to book higher-end properties in their low season at favorable rates. When used for winter meetings in cold-weather destinations, though, that strategy comes with the risk of snowy travel delays. On the other hand, booking summer events in warm-weather destinations means fewer travel complications, but requires some logistical accommodation for attendees to bear the heat.
In Scottsdale, Ariz., 29 hotels and resorts are working together to get more meetings to come in the summer season. In coordination with Experience Scottsdale, the city’s tourism and conference-marketing board, those properties now offer planners a single RFP, financial incentives, and a roster of group social activities that allow attendees to have a memorable but comfortable experience in the desert valley.
Found at TheDesertIsHot.com, the offer is good from June to mid-September in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. In addition to seasonal rates, financial incentives for groups include a $1,000 rebate for groups using 100 to 150 peak rooms; a $2,500 rebate for 151-250 peak rooms; and $5,000 for more than 250 peak rooms.
