Why should I use a 3rd party for hotel site selection?

Many meeting planners come to me trying to weigh out the benefits of using a 3rd party to conduct their site selection.  I know that many planners are worried about giving up perks, points and commissions and I understand these concerns, these are factors that you need to weigh out for yourself.

Let me shed some light on a few benefits, and address some concerns.

First of all, HelmsBriscoe is #1 in group bookings for every major hotel chain.  We have access to special promotions, open rooms, and deals exclusive to our clients.  When we submit an RFP on your behalf to a property, chances are, we have already sourced many other meetings to that property and they already know how we work.  We have access to historical rates booked by our colleagues for that property and our requests are generally handled by someone who is on staff exclusively to handle HelmsBriscoe business.  All of that negotiation and research frees up a great deal of our planners' time.

Contract negotiation is another added bonus to utilizing our services.  Whether you are new in the game or an old pro, our 1,100 associates in 44 countries have the experience with your selected properties.  We deploy dozens of risk aversion strategies to protect our clients' meetings. 

Worried about attrition?  HB can help!  Because we are such a large team, we can usually find other clients to fill your open rooms and assist with attrition, this is another reason our hotel partners love working with us! 

What about the little things?  HB has negotiated with our partner properties to make sure you get your points, as well as still being able (and STRONGLY encouraged) to go on site visits and familiarization trips.

Still have doubts?  There are no contracts with HelmsBriscoe, if you are thinking about trying us out, let me work with you on a quote for your next meeting.  We can be as involved as you want us to be, and if you aren't ready to dive all of the way in, start with one meeting and we can move forward from there!

Email me for more information or fill out a simple information request form here:

It's time to plan your Master's event! And the clock is TICKING!

April may seem far away for many of you, but for those in the know, it's actually quite late to plan for the Master's Tournament in Augusta.

This year, the Master's Tournament will be held April 6-12, 2009.



HelmsBriscoe can assist your group, and I can even coordinate tickets, VIP passes, all the way to trophy room passes, but you have to plan NOW!

My company specializes in booking 10 or more rooms, and through the wonderful and amazing contacts I developed through years in golf travel, I can work with you on customizing your trip.  There's no better reward for your clients and employees than a stroll across the grounds at Augusta National during the world's classiest golf event.  If you have never been, it is an amazing experience, tantamount to the Olympics or the Superbowl.  The atmosphere is unlike any other and tickets are not sold to the general public.  Rooms are often sold out up to a year in advance, however, being the global leader in hotel site selection, we have access to the inventory that may not be available to the public.

Email me today for more information on planning your event at this year's (or next year's) Master's Tournament in Augusta, GA.