The U.S. meetings industry is suffering from thousands of cancelled meetings and events across the country due to the economy and negative national media coverage.
Scottsdale's meetings industry, in particular, has been hit hard in recent months, with estimated losses topping $100 million from cancelled or scaled back meetings.
To combat these issues and more aggressively promote Scottsdale, the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is launching Scottsdale's Room Rate Challenge for meeting planners to better position the destination's affordability.
"Scottsdale offers a diverse portfolio of acclaimed products and services and is now priced comparably to the cost of staging meetings in cities that can't come close to offering what we have," said Brent DeRaad, the bureau's executive vice president.
"This program will help us overcome the perception that Scottsdale is not affordable for group meetings."
The Room Rate Challenge program allows meeting planners to submit a proposal to the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau from any hotel or resort from across the contiguous United States (except Maricopa County), Hawaii, Canada, or Caribbean, and the Scottsdale bureau will work with comparable Scottsdale properties to meet or beat the room rate, dates, meeting facility space and room night requirements.
Meetings valid for this program must be booked and actualized in Scottsdale through March 31, 2010. All total, 40 properties - from limited service hotels to luxury resorts in the Scottsdale area - are participating.
For complete details, visit www.ScottsdaleRateChallenge.com
"This program will show meeting planners across the country that we can match any meetings budget, and at the same time provide the level of quality service and product that define Scottsdale," said Terri Benich, director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch.
In addition to affordable meetings packages and value-added options, groups meeting in Scottsdale can enjoy top-of-the-line facilities, convenient and affordable air access, sunny weather, the unmatched beauty of the Sonoran Desert landscape and an environment where attendees can get down to business.
For more information, visit Scottsdale Room Rate Challenge
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