Event housing management is the process of coordinating and managing the lodging needs of attendees, exhibitors, and staff for events, conferences, tournaments, and festivals. It covers every aspect of group accommodation: identifying hotels, negotiating contracts, managing room blocks, supporting attendees, and reconciling commissions after the event.
Although housing companies and experienced event organizers know this territory well, the process involves more moving parts than most people outside the industry realize. This post breaks down the five core components and how the right software handles each one.
Managing event accommodations involves numerous tasks. From selecting suitable hotels and negotiating rates, to managing room blocks and handling attendee inquiries, each aspect requires strategic planning and careful execution. Furthermore, there's the crucial element of accounting and invoicing, which ensures accurate billing and seamless financial transactions.
Managing event housing involves five key components, which we’ll get into below:
First, event organizers have to identify suitable hotels close enough to the event venue. This is followed by an RFP (request for proposal) process where rates and other concessions are negotiated, which is then followed by securing a block of rooms. Along with this, a seasoned negotiator may work on other amenities like complimentary Wi-Fi or breakfast, balancing the needs of the hotel with those of the attendees.
Event housing management software can help facilitate this process of hotel selection and negotiation by allowing event organizers or housing companies to compare different accommodation options based on various criteria such as location, rates, and amenities.
Next up, it’s critical to manage room blocks effectively to avoid attrition fees and ensure sufficient accommodation for attendees. This process involves monitoring pick-up rates across various room types and subblocks, effectively marketing the event and managing or adjusting the block size as necessary. Keeping a close eye on this aspect is crucial to maximizing housing revenue for an event. Using a software solution that provides real-time information on pick-up rates and room availability allows organizers to adjust room blocks promptly.
Thirdly, booking management includes setting up and managing the reservation process. This might involve creating a dedicated booking website or portal and handling changes, cancellations and special requests. The booking site is key because it is the face of all housing-related tasks for your event attendees. It’s key to make this process as easy as possible to maximize the number of attendees booking within your block. Otherwise, you can get slippage and attendees may book elsewhere!
Even with a rock-solid booking site, unexpected issues will inevitably occur, and providing excellent customer service is crucial for any event's success. This entails answering questions about the hotel, managing room share requests, or helping with issues that arise during their stay. Software such as automated email notifications about booking confirmations, changes, or cancellations can also enhance the attendee experience.
After the event itself, reporting and analysis including tracking key metrics like pick-up rates, average length of stay, and satisfaction levels are extremely important. This data is used to improve future events and knowing how to use this data is key to having an effective housing strategy. Another important post-event aspect of housing management is accounting and invoicing. If hotel rebates and/or commissions were part of the contract with your hotels, ensuring accurate and timely billing, managing payments and resolving discrepancies are critical points for maintaining a positive relationship with accommodation providers and ensuring a smooth experience for attendees. At the end of the day, the right event housing management software can help with post-event analysis and accounting.
The complexities of event housing management require a comprehensive and efficient approach. As the events industry continues to evolve, leveraging technology has become imperative for event organizers.
A good event housing management tool, with a wide range of features that cover the full event housing lifecycle from RFP to accounting and invoicing, is a must-have in this day and age.
By automating and centralizing tasks, these platforms not only save time and reduce errors but also enhance the attendee experience, leading to successful and memorable events.
In the end, event success is not just about the event itself, but also about the complete experience an attendee has – and that includes their accommodations. So, take a step forward and revolutionize your event housing management with a dedicated software solution, because a well-rested attendee is a happy attendee, and a happy attendee is the key to a successful event! EventPipe provides a modern approach to event housing and makes the entire event lifecycle incredibly easy while creating additional revenue streams for housing companies and event producers. Learn more about what EventPipe has to offer below!
A room block is a set of hotel rooms reserved at a contracted rate for a specific event. The housing company or event organizer guarantees a minimum number of room nights to the hotel in exchange for favorable pricing, commissions, and concessions like complimentary rooms or free breakfast.
Pick-up rate is the percentage of contracted rooms that are actually booked by attendees. It is one of the most closely watched metrics in housing management because it directly affects commission revenue and attrition exposure. A high pick-up rate means the block performed well. A low one can trigger attrition fees and reduce commissions.
An attrition fee is a financial penalty charged when a contracted room block is not filled to the agreed minimum. For example, if a housing company contracts 200 rooms but only 140 are booked, the hotel may charge a fee on the unfilled rooms. Avoiding attrition fees is one of the core reasons active room block management matters throughout the event cycle, not just at the end.
Slippage happens when attendees book hotel rooms outside the official event block rather than through the designated booking site. It reduces the housing company's pick-up rate, lowers commission revenue, and can push the block toward attrition territory. A strong booking site experience and clear attendee communication are the main tools for minimizing slippage.
Tim is the CEO of EventPipe an an experienced and accomplished software executive. Having served as the head of corporate development and as Chief Financial Officer at Motus, he led the company through multiple financings and acquisitions. Tim joined Motus after serving as the Chief Financial Officer of ConnectEDU and leading the corporate development/M&A function at EducationDynamics. Tim began his career in investment banking and private equity after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
