Plan Your Meetings

Planners offset attrition costs online

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The Meetings Community (MeCo), a networking community for meeting professionals, has launched an innovative online forum that allows members facing attrition or cancellation fees to resell unused hotel rooms to other meeting planners. The service is free for both planners and properties.

“The service MeCo is offering … provides incredible value to those whose attendance is less than anticipated, saving their organization substantial financial damages,” states Bonnie Wallsh, CMP, CMM, chief strategist of Bonnie Wallsh & Associates. “It benefits others who are flexible in their date and site selection and are able to take advantage of tremendous savings. Facilities benefit by getting heads in beds.”

Current listings include rooms for resale in Dallas, Boston and Las Vegas for $99 to $249/room. Planners interested in using the service must sign up for MeCo and get permission from the host property before reselling unused rooms. No advertising, mark-ups or commissions are allowed; rooms must be offered for the group rate originally negotiated with the property.

Also on the forum is a sample hotel contract clause suggested by MeCo’s legal advisor, John Foster, Esq., CHME, which gives planners the right to reassign rooms in the event of attrition or cancellation.