Category: Industry News & Insights

Getting that association and non-profit business through the hotel door isn’t always easy. These groups come with their own quirks and challenges, but that makes our industry interesting, right?

We recently brought together two incredible women to discuss what it takes to build successful partnerships between hotels and associations: 

• LaTika Webster from the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), celebrating its 50th anniversary this year
• Jessica Jacobs, who recently joined Visit Milwaukee after working with Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Their conversation revealed genuine insights into how hotels can build relationships that convert to bookings and what motivates associations to return. 

While the focus was on hotels and associations, the relationship-building strategies they shared apply just as well to CVBs, conference centers, and other venues looking to win group business. 

Here are key insights from what they shared.

How Personal Connections Drive Bookings

So, how did these two first connect? LaTika and Jessica realized that Hopskip initially brought them together. 

LaTika had sent an RFP through the platform for NSBE events, which landed on Jessica’s desk at her former hotel.

“When I reviewed the RFP,” Jessica explained, “I noticed LaTika had carefully called out the hot-button items for her group.” Instead of dismissing the business because it didn’t perfectly match their booking guidelines, Jessica picked up the phone.

“That first conversation lasted about an hour and a half,” she laughed. “We’re both talkers.” Rather than jumping straight into negotiations, Jessica focused on understanding the unique needs of NSBE’s student members.

This approach formed the foundation for NSBE booking two events at Jessica’s hotel. 

Their story also has a fun twist (of lemon).

“We connected through our love of French 75s,” LaTika shared. “Now, each time we get together, we carve out time to catch up over a French 75.”

Their friendship deepened when LaTika got stuck on a plane for seven hours – on what should have been a 17-minute hop from Chicago to Milwaukee. She missed all her pre-con meetings and arrived exhausted.

“Jessica had her staff leave a French 75 kit in my hotel room. When I finally showed up after missing an entire day, my French 75 was waiting for me.”

It wasn’t just about the cocktail—it was about Jessica remembering their shared tradition and finding a way to maintain it even when things went wrong. That kind of personal touch strengthens business relationships and makes planners want to return.

Creative Solutions for Space-to-Rooms Challenges

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room for most association businesses – that challenging room-to-space ratio.

LaTika likes to tackle these challenges head-on: “We deal with a primarily collegiate student demographic of collegiate engineers. We need lots of space for competitions and workshops. I started our conversation by saying, ‘I know our rooms-to-space ratio is off, let’s address that.'”

Jessica appreciated this transparency: “Every group has its own set of challenges or things that might seem a little off. It’s really just about being willing to work through those things.”

Together, they found four creative solutions:

1. NSBE came to Milwaukee in November. “If anyone on the call isn’t from Milwaukee or hasn’t been there, it gets kind of cold in November,” Jessica noted. “When you’re coming in one of our need months, we might be able to be a little bit more flexible on our booking guidelines.”
2. LaTika asked, “What are some other ways that I can bring value and spend to the property?” and proposed a multi-event contract. “I do multiple regional events for the same regions. What does the structure look like if we do a multi-event contract?”
3. She connected a local NSBE chapter with Jessica to host their fundraising gala at the hotel. “Once that group came to me about their gala idea, I said, ‘I’m gonna send you right to Jess.’ We want to be good partners.”
4. They partnered with Visit Milwaukee to explore additional resources for the event, creating what LaTika called a “trifecta of a partnership.”

The lesson? 

Don’t immediately reject a challenging ratio – have the conversation and get creative together. As LaTika puts it, “I ask my hotel partners, what can we do to be a good piece of business for you?”

Why Real Conversations Win More Association Business

Both speakers emphasized one game-changing approach: talk to each other.

“I make an effort to meet with every single property that submits a bid,” LaTika shares. “Part of the reason I do that is because it establishes that rapport early, but I’ll also say, ‘Let’s review your bid, and what I want to do is pre-identify areas that I know are out of alignment with what we typically see.'” 

This proactive approach means they’ve already flagged negotiation points before shortlisting.

Jessica has her own go-to question: Ask about past meetings:

• What went well that made a destination or property stand out as a place you would return to? 
• What issue in the past has caused you to not return to a city or to a property?

These answers help her “paint a picture of how that would go differently at my property in my city.”

She also warned against the copy-paste trap: “I can’t tell you how many RFPs I’ve seen where I review the meeting space needs, get my proposal together, we have a call, and the person says, ‘Oh, actually, sorry, that was from our meeting in 2014 in Portland.'”

“The only answer to a question you don’t ask is no,” LaTika says. 

Whether requesting custom menus for college students or explaining why a two-week cutoff is challenging when “my college students have to work around their academic commitments” – just ask!

Using CVBs as Strategic Partners

“The CVB is so important because it’s the authority on all the amazing reasons to bring your event to a city,” Jessica explained. “I know specifically with Visit Milwaukee, there’s so many services that we can offer once an event is booked in our city, on a complimentary basis.” These range from “volunteers at the airport to welcome people” to “signs around the city” and connecting planners with appropriate venues and experiences.

LaTika takes CVB partnerships further: “My conversation with CVBs goes beyond ‘Can you give us a rebate?’ I also talk about ‘help me identify companies headquartered in your city that there may be a potential partnership or sponsorship opportunity.'”

This approach helps bridge budget gaps while creating community connections. 

As LaTika points out, “Our budget hasn’t caught up to where the industry is yet. There are still some gaps. We are space intensive and that’s causing additional room rental in some cases where we didn’t pay before.”

It creates what she calls a “trifecta of partnership” – working with the hotel, the CVB, and potentially the national sales office. “I truly do truly have a trifecta of a partnership… I love to see these things come to fruition and everybody win. That’s my goal – how can everybody win in this scenario?”

Understanding Unique Demographics

Jessica naturally mentioned quantifiable metrics like “guest room block pickup” and food and beverage revenue—standard hotel metrics—to measure success.

LaTika brought a different perspective: “I look to that anecdotal feedback that I’m hearing through my boards about whether our students enjoyed themselves. Was the facility supportive of their needs? How did they feel about the community? Were we able to offer the number of workshops that we felt were a great number of workshops to support and educate our membership demographic?”

This matters because NSBE’s programs rotate through regions. 

“Our programs do rotate on a certain rotation that’s in the bylaws. So when our program goes back to Wisconsin, Milwaukee is always going to be on the radar.”

For student-led associations like NSBE, success means finding environments that work for college students. “We look for environments that are a good fit for a college student. Is it a walkable city? Are there things for them to do?” LaTika explains. 

She also needs hotels willing to accommodate unique needs – “Your incidentals per day is $50 but another one is $100” and “a hotel that’s willing to waive 3rd and 4th guest fees” makes a difference when dealing with college students.

LaTika documents everything meticulously because her board changes annually. “I may start a conversation about a year program with one board, but by the time we start the planning process, I’m working with an entirely new board.”

This makes those relationship-building moments with Jessica even more valuable – they create a foundation that transcends individual board members and builds institutional knowledge for both organizations.

“You’re Going to Hear From Me Again”

Throughout this session, both speakers emphasized the importance of playing the long game in this industry.

“This relationship holds true value for me,” LaTika says. “So if a deal doesn’t work this time, you’ll hear from me again for a future opportunity that might fit better.”

As Jessica transitioned from hotel sales to the DMO side, their partnership flourished—LaTika sources for six regions across the US, creating countless opportunities for ongoing relationships.

Maintaining authentic connections becomes even more valuable in an industry where staff turnover occurs frequently and roles change. The French 75s aren’t just a fun ritual—they represent genuine relationship-building that transcends specific properties or roles.

As LaTika said, “We’re all working toward supporting one another.” That support system might be the most valuable in today’s hospitality landscape.

Whether you’re a hotel, CVB, or venue, LaTika and Jessica’s strategies remind us that behind every RFP and contract are real people looking for partners who understand their needs and are willing to work together creatively to find solutions.

Want to see how Hopskip can help you connect with association planners? Request a demo today. And if you’d like to participate in future events like this one, follow us on LinkedIn to stay updated!

Taking the Industry’s Pulse

Top legal experts explain how new policies will impact events in 2025, from government spending to international travel.

We brought together some of the events industry’s leading legal minds to help our community understand what 2025 might have in store for the meetings and events industry. Barbara Dunn (Partner, Barnes and Thornburg LLP), Kelly Bagnall (Partner, Holland & Knight LLP), and special guest Joel Roberson (Partner, Holland & Knight LLP) joined us to break down the latest policy changes affecting events.

Remember, the content in this series is not legal advice. Every situation differs and depends on particular facts, applicable contract language, and more. Always consult your attorney with any specific questions.

Watch the complete webinar recording here. Our experts cover everything from government spending to international travel in detail.

What’s On People’s Minds?

During our webinar, we polled attendees to understand how these policy changes are affecting their organizations. Here’s what we learned:

The Big Picture:

• 65% of the audience was actively monitoring policy changes but haven’t felt significant impacts yet
• Only 4% expected no impact at all
• 25% are already experiencing moderate to significant impacts

Top Concerns:

1. Government Travel Restrictions (40%)
2. Tariffs and Trade Impacts (18%)
3. International Travel/Visa Issues (15%)
4. Labor Force Changes (13%)
5. DEI Requirements (10%)
6. Fee Regulations (4%)

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

The new Department of Government Efficiency aims to reduce government spending and streamline operations. Joel Roberson explained that the department has three main goals:

• Reduce regulatory burden on the US economy
• Decrease the number of federal government employees
• Cut government spending (targeting about $500 billion per year)

With 91% of our webinar attendees reporting that up to 25% of their attendees are federal government employees, these changes could have widespread impact:

• Government employee travel is becoming more restricted
• Public health agencies have already been directed not to participate in outside events
• Federal spending on events and conferences will face increased scrutiny
• Events held outside Washington DC may receive particular attention as potential areas for cost-cutting
• Venues that rely heavily on government business may need to diversify their client base

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Changes

The new administration issued executive orders on day one that significantly changed federal DEI policies. As Joel Roberson explained, these orders:

• Roll back the previous administration’s DEI commitments
• Argue that certain DEI efforts could be considered illegal discrimination
• Remove DEI requirements and incentives from federal contracts
• Include the key phrase “as permissible under applicable law”

What This Means for Events:

• Federal Buildings: Some organizations have already been instructed not to host DEI-focused events in federal buildings
• Contract Requirements: Previous DEI-related contract incentives for federal contractors are being rolled back
• State vs. Federal Rules: Here’s where it gets tricky — you might need to follow different rules depending on where your event is held. For example, California might require specific DEI commitments while federal regulations move in the opposite direction.

Practical Tips:

• Focus on business objectives when crafting DEI policies
• Internal DEI policies for business purposes generally remain acceptable
• Be aware that different venues may have different requirements based on ownership
• For federal contracts, review any DEI-related clauses with your legal team

Labor Force & Immigration

An overwhelming 83% of attendees expressed concern about the labor force servicing meetings and events, making this one of our industry’s most pressing issues.

Recent policy changes are affecting the hospitality industry’s workforce in two key ways:

• Increased immigration enforcement across the country
• More scrutiny of work authorization documentation

For Planners:

• Build more flexibility into your contracts around service levels
• Consider discussing staffing contingency plans with your venues, service levels could be impacted if venues lose workers
• Be prepared for potential cost increases related to labor
• Include backup plans for key event services
• =

For Hotels:

• Hotels and venues might face sudden staffing changes
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can access properties with their own warrants — no judicial warrant is required
• Hotels should prepare front desk and operations teams for potential enforcement visits
• Having proper documentation readily available is crucial
• Consider developing communication plans for both staff and guests
• A sudden workforce shortage could affect:
  • Service delivery capabilities
  • Pricing for services
  • Ability to fulfill contract obligations

Planning Ahead:

Barbara Dunn put it well: “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.” and outlined some practical steps:

• Include flexible language in contracts about service levels
• Build in contingencies for increased costs
• Keep communication channels open between planners and venues
• Document any agreed-upon service level expectations

International Travel & Visa Processing

The expert panel highlighted three key changes expected to impact international travel:

• Slowdowns in visa processing
• Potential shifts in how the State Department prioritizes visa applications
• A reduced federal workforce could impact processing times

For Planners:

• Start your international attendee outreach earlier than usual
• Consider offering hybrid options for international participants
• Build more flexibility into speaker agreements
• Be prepared for some international speakers or attendees to face challenges attending
• Review force majeure and cancellation clauses with international considerations in mind

For Hotels:

• Be prepared to work with planners on flexible terms for international groups
• Consider adding language to contracts about international attendance expectations
• Keep communication channels open about any changes in group size due to visa issues

All-In Pricing (Also Known As “Junk Fees”)

In December 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced new rules about price transparency. While 84% of attendees believe current all-in fee legislation impacts group sales contracts, our legal experts clarified an important distinction. These rules mainly affect consumer bookings.

For Group Contracts:

• You’ll likely still see separate line items for room rates, resort fees, and other charges
• Groups can still negotiate these fees as part of their contracts
• Current contract structures for group business remain primarily unchanged

For Hotels:

• Many hotel brands support having one national standard
• This could help create consistency across different states
• Hotels want the same rules to apply to all accommodation types, including short-term rentals

Practical Tips:

• Review how fees are broken down in your contracts
• Ask for detailed explanations of any administrative or service fees
• Consider specifying or “fencing in” specific fees when possible
• Keep an eye on state-specific requirements that might affect your events

Tariffs & Trade

The new administration is using tariffs as a negotiating tool, which is affecting various aspects of the events industry. Recent changes include:

• A new 10% tariff increase on Chinese goods
• Temporary tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports
• Potential new trade policies with European partners

For Planners:

• Build flexibility into contracts for renovation completion dates
• Consider the impact on food and beverage minimums
• Review attrition clauses with current market conditions in mind
• Ask about renovation schedules and contingency plans

Barbara Dunn suggests asking key questions like:

• What type of construction would trigger a notice to groups?
• How much notice will venues provide?
• What are the options if renovations affect your event?
• How will venues work with groups to find solutions?

For Hotels:

• Construction and renovation costs may increase
• Materials like lumber, steel, and drywall are already seeing higher prices
• Project timelines might need to be extended
• Renovation schedules could face delays

Key Action Items

For Planners:

• Review your contracts with these new policies in mind
• Build in more flexibility for international attendance
• Start planning earlier than usual for 2025 events
• Keep open communication with your venues about concerns

For Hotels:

• Train teams on new policies and requirements
• Stay current with state and federal regulations
• Maintain clear communication about renovation schedules
• Document contingency plans for workforce changes

For All Industry Professionals:

• Bookmark Holland & Knight’s Executive Order Tracker
• Focus on collaboration rather than contract battles
• Stay flexible as policies continue to evolve
• Keep communication channels open between all parties

While 2025 brings new challenges to our industry, the key to success remains the same: open communication and flexibility between planners and venues. 

Want to stay informed? Follow Hopskip on LinkedIn and sign up for HopSkip’s newsletter to get the invitation to our next webinar and receive more industry insights.