Can I Source a Hotel Before My Meeting Agenda Is Final?

In theory, yes, you can begin sourcing a hotel before your meeting agenda is completely finalized but there are a few important points to think about first.

What information do I need to begin?

You do not need a minute-by-minute agenda, but you should have enough preliminary information for hotels to determine whether they can accommodate the program.

Try to provide:

• Preferred dates and any date flexibility

• Estimated number of attendees

• Anticipated guest-room block by night

• Approximate meeting start and end times

• General meeting-space requirements

• Estimated number of breakout rooms, attendance and setup style

• Expected food and beverage functions

• Anticipated audiovisual needs, such as dual screens and staging in the general session

• Preferred destination or destinations

• Estimated budget, including guest-room rate thresholds and anticipated food and beverage, meeting-room rental and audiovisual spending

A draft agenda is extremely helpful, even when some details may change. It allows the hotel to determine whether it has the appropriate meeting rooms available and whether the space can accommodate the expected setups, meals and overall program flow.

Can the meeting space change later?

Potentially, but this is why it is important to understand your program and develop an agenda outline that is reasonably close to your anticipated needs.

Hotels are always actively selling their inventory, including guestrooms and meeting space. Once your hotel contract has been finalized and signed, the hotel may book another group that will use the remaining guestrooms and meeting rooms.

Meeting-space availability is fluid and can change at any time. You may also have less negotiating leverage after the contract has been signed, which means additional space could be unavailable or offered at a higher rental price.

If you know you may need breakout rooms, an office, storage space or an additional meal function, mention those possibilities during the sourcing process. It is better to discuss potential needs early than to discover later that the hotel does not have the necessary space.

Before signing the contract, confirm that the guest-room block and meeting-space commitments reasonably reflect the program’s anticipated needs.

Should I wait if my dates are not finalized?

You can still research destinations, review potential hotels and gather preliminary pricing using tentative dates. However, a hotel generally cannot guarantee guestrooms, meeting space or rates until the dates are confirmed and a contract is signed.

Beginning early gives you time to understand availability, compare options and refine the agenda without rushing the hotel-selection and contracting process.

Need help getting started?

You do not need to have every detail figured out before requesting assistance. If your meeting requires 10 or more guestrooms on peak night, I can help you identify the information needed to begin, build the request for proposal, source hotel options and negotiate the contract.

Complete my Meeting Request Form with the information you currently have, and we can refine the details together as your program develops.

Global Event Prof is operated by Jen Cease, CMP, CMP-HC, who is also an independent associate of ConferenceDirect. Hotel sourcing and contracting services are provided through ConferenceDirect.