Courtesy Durango Area Tourism
3) Get bids for rooms and restaurants. Getting quotes for group hotel stays and restaurant meals can be one of the most tedious parts of planning a group tour. Fortunately, many CVBs help streamline this process as well.
If the bureau that you’re working with offers assistance with hotel planning, the group sales representative will collect information from you — the number of rooms you’ll need, how long you want to stay and how much you’d like to pay — and then send it out to the hotels in the area. The hotel sales managers who are interested in hosting your group will put together a bid for your business and then send it back to the CVB representative, who then forwards the top bids on to you.
You’ll still make the final decision about which hotel to use, but having your CVB representative collect bids saves you a lot of legwork. You can also ask the CVB to help you gather price quotes for group meals.
4) Ask for extras. Like any other business, tourism is competitive, and a lot of CVBs have taken to offering extra perks, experiences and personal touches to attract group business. Taking advantage of these extras can help make the trip more enjoyable for you and your travelers.
The menu of special touches available to groups ranges from small flourishes to big bonuses. Many CVBs will send a member of their staff to greet your group when it arrives in town, handing out goody bags with gifts and special offers from area businesses. Some people take the meet-and-greet to the next level, stepping onto your coach in costumes and portraying notable characters from around the area.
A good relationship with your CVB rep can also help you get your group access to things they wouldn’t ordinarily see. CVB sales people can help set up behind-the-scenes tours at attractions or VIP treatment at restaurants and hotels.
In some cities and smaller towns, CVB personnel go the extra mile to serve as receptive operators or step-on guides for groups coming to town. In these cases, the staff might spend an entire day or two with your group, giving them an insider’s view of the destination and saving you money you would otherwise have to pay for guide service.
Building a good relationship with CVB sales representatives and knowing what to ask for can help you create a great trip for your group, and take a lot of work off your plate in the process.
