After you have opened a green hotel or greened up the operations of your existing hotel, what organizations should top your list to target for new business? Certainly environmental organizations make the most sense—those most in tune with your own mission. Most cities today have numerous environmental organizations that meet on a regular basis. Why not invite them to meet at your hotel? Green Drinks International is one organization that has been growing quickly with new chapters around the globe. Find out where they are meeting in your local area. Most communities have Sierra Club chapters. Cities with zoos have zoo support groups. Does your community have a local U.S. Green Building Council chapter? If so, where are they currently meeting? Architects and designers also gather regularly. Why not invite them to your property? Are you currently pursuing the national or international level meetings that green organizations will be holding in coming years?
The Hutton Hotel in Nashville, that city's newest independent luxury hotel, and also one of its greenest, recently landed the North American meeting of The Climate Project (TCP), an international nonprofit organization founded by Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. The group will be meeting at the hotel from May 14 to 16.
"The Hutton Hotel's commitment to sustainability and conservation made it the natural choice for us in terms of locations for our North American Summit," said Jenny Clad, executive director of The Climate Project. "We are excited to be hosting our event at the Hutton, Nashville's newest hotel in Al Gore's hometown, and to be bringing more than 500 committed TCP climate change ambassadors from across the U.S. and Canada to the area for this significant event."
Congratulations to the Hutton Hotel for winning this new business. Be sure to visit the Sales & Marketing and Guest Columns section of Green Lodging News for additional business boosting ideas.
Showing posts with label green meetings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green meetings. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Green Meeting Facilities Not So Important?
PKF Hospitality Research conducted a survey of meeting planners in August and September of last year. The survey was conducted on behalf of ConventionSouth magazine. PKF-HR received survey responses from a total of 129 meeting planners with an average of 17 years experience in the profession. Although the survey focused on meetings held within Southern states, the sample of respondents consisted of planners located throughout the nation.
The amount of available meeting space remains the most important criteria for meeting planners when selecting a meeting destination. The price of the meeting space, along with the price and number of available hotel rooms, remained in the top five factors. When selecting a hotel, the availability of on-site food and beverage outlets remained the number one selection criteria.
How did survey respondents rate the importance of environmental practices at a meeting destination? According to the survey, they are rising in importance but are not critical selection criteria. “Environmentally Friendly” was considered a somewhat important hotel selection criteria, while “Green Certified” was considered a low facility selection factor.
In one way I am a bit surprised by these results because I have heard over and over that an increasing number of companies are requiring that hotels have specific green programs in place in order to be considered for meetings. On the other hand, in the middle of a recession, it is understandable that priorities can change. For example, according to the survey, the cost of travel is growing as an influence on site selection. Higher gas prices and airfares were cited by nearly 48 percent of the respondents as a factor that forced them to change their meeting destination.
A sample of 129 persons is certainly not enough to jump to conclusions about which direction green meetings are headed. It is, however, a large enough sample to get one's attention.
The amount of available meeting space remains the most important criteria for meeting planners when selecting a meeting destination. The price of the meeting space, along with the price and number of available hotel rooms, remained in the top five factors. When selecting a hotel, the availability of on-site food and beverage outlets remained the number one selection criteria.
How did survey respondents rate the importance of environmental practices at a meeting destination? According to the survey, they are rising in importance but are not critical selection criteria. “Environmentally Friendly” was considered a somewhat important hotel selection criteria, while “Green Certified” was considered a low facility selection factor.
In one way I am a bit surprised by these results because I have heard over and over that an increasing number of companies are requiring that hotels have specific green programs in place in order to be considered for meetings. On the other hand, in the middle of a recession, it is understandable that priorities can change. For example, according to the survey, the cost of travel is growing as an influence on site selection. Higher gas prices and airfares were cited by nearly 48 percent of the respondents as a factor that forced them to change their meeting destination.
A sample of 129 persons is certainly not enough to jump to conclusions about which direction green meetings are headed. It is, however, a large enough sample to get one's attention.
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