Retreat Insider

Several years ago, someone had the temerity to ask. Ego  and investment were too LARGE at the time. But, the question was worthy and we cogitated on it every once in a while in subsequent years. Usually over a glass of wine and a cigar.

Time has re-defined the nature of All About Retreats as a mother of reinvention and child of Web 2.0. In April, All About Retreats rolled out it’s 8th website iteration giving it a fresh, more Zen appearance.

• The Membership portion is designed to promote spontaneous interaction by those who have either retreat/conference centers or programs to list in the main directories.
• Listing Members can access their listing with a user-friendly self-managed format, updating info, images and posting incentives for groups or individuals.
• Our users have the benefit of a more streamlined pathway to the info they are seeking in a scannable format, just right for web reading.

Such a Deal!

Throughout the summer months, we are promoting new basic listings at low rates to enhance the volume of possibilities for our meeting planners and individuals who are frequent visitors to AAR  and because All About Retreats is about growth, opportunity and supporting our Members in the alternative hospitality business.

People can still call us and ask us to post a listing for them, the rate is a bit higher for our hands-on service and marketing ideas. The good news is that AAR no longer employs a gatekeeper who replies to each and every email request for listing information. Our staff will do a routine review of new listings to be sure they are aligned with the good taste and accurate information that AAR users expect to find.

Comments on the Current State of Meeting Hospitality

AAR is keeping a watch on trends that are emerging in alternative hospitality through chats with our Members. One thing is certain:  our web traffic is much lower than a year ago MOST of the time, with occasional upticks. Go figure! We find no pattern that doesn’t require adding on speculative comment to make it feel better! Things have slowed down and that is what most Members are telling us. HOWEVER…We scan blogs and relevant articles from the mainstream in an effort to harness the ripple effect from big corporations on out to the fringes, where most of our Members live.

If you own or manage a retreat center or conference center … Are you willing to be flexible to fill the rooms and do you still love the business enough to take the ride?

Pause. Relax … Open to new possibilities! Trust the emerging info. Tell the truth and Listen deeply …

The downwardly spiraling economy may actually cause a couple of results that could be positive for the meetings business: airfares likely will decrease and lodging rates will hold relatively steady. Mainstream hospitality prognosticators suggest that all expenses, including meetings are being scruntinized closely.

It’s a great time for you to offer “deals” for last minute group bookings and you can login and use your listing on All About Retreats to tell meeting planners when (and if) that is available upon request.

Retreat and Conference Center Forecasts

There are indications that many venues, particularly small or independently owned centers are receptive to negotiations and concessions for meetings, particularly in cities where demand is lower than it has been in the past. Slowdowns in rate increases across the board but ‘off the beaten path’ locales may become even better bargains as the economy slows and air capacity is reduced. Some cities where lodging rates are falling but air routes have not yet been cut, such as California, may become more popular as meetings destinations.

Some suggest that 2009 will be the lowest occupancy rate for hotels since 1988. The current low was hit in 2002, at 59% occupancy rate, when the SARS epidemic and the Iraq war impacted the travel market already in severe doldrums after 9/11.

A hospitality research President, Mark Woodworth said, “It’s not the depth of the lodging industry recession that concerns us. It is how fast market conditions have weakened, and the rapidly changing outlook for the nation’s economy. Uncertainty is the greatest bugaboo, with resulting volatility. However, with new projects now on hold due to financing issues, projections are that demand will rise again as the economy picks up in 2010.

What About Airfares?

The good news is that an AMEX study found airfares likely to decrease in 2009 but that sadly doesn’t necessarily portend a decrease in prices  as airlines continue their pursuit of expanding the fees charged for services such as in-flight meals and baggage. The study emphasized that ‘corporate-meetings-spend scrutiny, and travel and entertainment spend management in general, will take into account not just the airfare, but all those ancillary air-related fees that can add up to 15 percent of the total air cost — not to mention parking, meals, and other expenses that can add up to $400 per trip on average and can double expenses for some trips.

Drive to … Meetings, Retreats, Weekend Workshops … Preferred??

Whether you are planning a corporate meeting or group retreat, or planning to register for a workshop, you can save money and support the growing model we call: Go Local. It’s not sexy, depending on your location, but to book a venue near home or travel to the less populous venues for retreats, and conferences may draw a larger crowd of partipants, especially when each person is footing their own bill. Unless you are a large conference or convention planner when long-range planning and a healthy following make it lucrative, you can most likely book a great nearby venue within a 45 day (or less) advance of your gathering.

Please add your comments so we can further the flow of current reality to our readers, Members and those who blithely stumble upon the ramblings of Retreat Insider!