Current Events in

Hospitality
Lecturer – Jade Bissessur
 Agenda
Introduction
Events
Types of events
Main categories of events
The importance of events for the hospitality industry
What makes a successful event in the hospitality industry ?
The importance of stakeholders in an event
 Introduction
• Events are a huge part of the hospitality industry, and are continuing
to grow.

• Whether it be focused on music, sport or a luxury brand, events

around the world are generating billions of revenue and changing
the way businesses, hospitality organizations and resorts operate.

• As a Hotelier or Hospitality professional, it is important to be aware

of the trends and developments in the global hospitality industry.
Moreover, these events are great for networking.

• Hospitality professionals need to keep a finger on the pulse of the

industry to stay ahead.
 Events
• An event can be described as gathering of people for a specific
purpose.
• Events can be taken for a variety of reasons and can be of
various forms.
• Depending on what type of event is going to happen, there is
need for different levels of preparations and activity planning by
the event organizer.
• There are so many types of events and the events can be on a
small scale or a large one.
• Different type of events include weddings, award ceremonies,
festivals ,corporate meetings, seminars and workshops,
product launch, trade exhibitions etc.
• Events can be so diverse from political rallies to weddings. For
any kind of social occasion or business, an event
management team is the main source to organize it.
• To plan, organise and run an event it requires time to
investigate, research and plan.
• The amount of time it will need depends on event type, theme,
objective, location, size and attractions, skills and experience.
• For even the smallest of events, the event manager should
undertake a formal planning stage, including a risk
assessment.
• Event management involves, identify the target audience,
making a concept, plan the logistics as well as coordinate and
then execute modalities of the particular event.
 Types of events
• An event can be described as a public assembly for the
purpose of celebration, entertainment, education, marketing or
reunion.
• Getz in his book Event Management and Event Tourism
(1997, 4), stated that events are temporary occurrences,
either planned or unplanned, and they usually have a finite
length which is normally fixed or publicized for planned events.
• And they can be classified or categorized in different ways on
the basis of their size, form and content.
• Examples of the various types are: special events, hallmark
events, mega events, festivals, fairs and exhibition,
expositions and shows, meetings and other business and
educational events, sports events, art events.
 Classification
• According to Reic (2017), the categorization of events is
commonly based on the size, geographical scope and
content of the event.
• The usual purpose of holding an event is to raise the
important issues in public, make profit or vice versa
donate.
• The event categorization matrix clearly shows the
classification of events by various characteristics.
 Hallmark events
• Hallmark tourist events are major fairs, expositions,
cultural and sporting events of international status which
are held on either a regular or a one-off basis.
• A primary function of the hallmark event is to provide the
host community with an opportunity to secure high
prominence in the tourism market place.
• In other words, they are events that have the ability to
propel their destination, facility or organization to their
hallmark.
 Mega events
• Events that yield extraordinary high levels of tourism,
media coverage, prestige, or economic impact for the host
community

• megaevents can be defined by reference to their volume

of visitors, cost or psychology. Their volume should
exceed 1 million visits; their capital cost should be at least
$500 million, and their reputation should be that of a ‘must
see’ event.
 Major events
• A Major event is “any function expected to attract in excess
of 200 people. Examples of major events include concerts,
dance parties and large. exhibitions.

• These Guidelines apply to parties that are expected to be

attended by a large number of people and where the function
is either advertised, or payment sought for entry,
refreshments or other services provided even when this is by
means of a raffle ticket or other such system.
 Minor events
• Minor Event means an event that takes
place on private property; has a minimal
impact on neighboring properties; and lasts
for less than twenty-four consecutive hours,
including but not limited to weddings, family
reunions, memorials, or other ceremonies.
Typology of planned events
 Group Presentation :
• Explain the type of event and give at least 2 examples.
The examples can be at the local or international level.

1. Business and Trade

2. Educational and scientific
3. Sport competition
4. Arts and entertainment
5. Political and state
 Main categories of events
• There are three main categories which events go under.
These events are private, corporate and charity
 Private Events
• Private events are used for individuals who can book venues
such as :
- Wedding
- Wedding receptions
- Birthday parties
- Festival gatherings

• Private events are used for individuals who want certain guests to
arrive at the venue.
• Private events will have a guest list to ensure the venue is not
open to the public.
• There are a large number of private sector organisations
involved in commercial activities in the events
management business.

• Clients who are looking for a suitable venue for their event
can do so themselves, which can be time consuming, or
they can place their enquiry with an agency which will
lessen their effort and possibly benefit them by obtaining
more competitive rates for venue
 Corporate Events
• Corporate events are used for a business to promote their
companies brand and products such as:

- Ensuring team building exercises

- Business dinners
- Conferences
- Networking events
- Seminars
- Product launches
- Meetings
• A business will use corporate events to help build professional
relationships between employees which will benefit staff
communication to make a business expand.
• Corporate events can be used by businesses of all sizes to
solicit new business, create a corporate or brand image, and
retain and build loyalty with existing suppliers and customers.
• They can also be used effectively to elicit suppliers and
customers.
• They can furthermore be used effectively to elicit peak
performance from employees and produce camaraderie and
teamwork among co-workers.
Charity/Fundraising Events
• Charity events are used for individuals to raise money for a
charity of their choice by events such as :
- Society balls
- Sports events
- Charitable auctions

• some charity events may ask for sponsors for an individual

partaking in an event to raise money for charity these events
range from :
- Sponsored runs
- Sponsored cycling
- Sponsored skydiving
- Sponsored walks
• The charity events industry is a very diverse industry due to any
one can go to a charity venue, contribute to a charity event or
even run one

• Sponsorship represents a give and take between a non-profit

and a business.
• The business donates money toward costs associated with a
charity event, and in return, the charity event affords the
business low cost public exposure and marketing.

• A charities sponsorship success rate is strongly dependant on

the perks that it can offer potential business partners
 The importance of events for the
hospitality industry
• A company conference, a trade show, a product launch, a
music festival, a sport event, a wedding, a fashion show – all of
these are examples of business opportunities around which the
industry is building its fortune.

• Key players in the sport event sector, like the International

Olympic Committee, UEFA and Formula One, are focusing
more and more on customer service and VIP hospitality,
increasing customer satisfaction, revenue and profitability.
Conversely, resorts and destinations are creating new events
or attracting ones they feel will bring in more revenue.
 What makes a successful event in
the hospitality industry ?
• Events in the hospitality industry include weddings,
business meetings, celebration dinners and fundraisers.

• Event planners, owner of hotels, banquet managers or

restaurant owners all strive to make any event a success
from the client's, guests' and his own point of view.
 1. Client Satisfaction
• As the owner of a business in the hospitality industry, your first
priority is the satisfaction of the client, the person who booked
the event and is paying for it.

• The event must go as planned, with the amenities the client is

expecting, such as the number of tables and chairs, floral
arrangements, food, drinks and entertainment.

• Any problems must be solved quickly without noticeable impact

on the guests.

• A successful event leads to the opportunity for additional

business from the client.
 2. Guest Experience
• People attending a function have different expectations than
the host.
• Their experience depends on the quality of the food,
friendliness of the staff and the ambiance of the room.
• A successful event has good food served at the correct
temperature. The service is friendly but not overbearing.
• Any special requests within reason are handled quickly and
politely.
• A guest at a successful event may refer new business or tell
others what a great time he had.
 3. Profitability
• The guests and client may not consider profitability as a
measure of a successful event, but the small business
owner coordinating or presenting the event certainly does.

• In most cases a successful event is a profitable one.

• There are exceptions. If the event is a fund raiser, the

business owner may break even or cover some of the
costs as a donation to the charitable organization.
 4. Perceived value
• A successful event leaves the client feeling that he got more
than he paid for.

• It may be small touches, such as a bowl of fresh fruit that

wasn't part of the continental breakfast menu, cookies at
break time of a business meeting or a bottle of complimentary
champagne for the bride and groom when they leave their
reception.

• Favorable feedback from the guests also raises the client's

perceived value of the event.
 IMPORTANCE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN AN
EVENT
• Stakeholders are individuals, groups of individuals or
organizations that hold a special interest in an event including its
operations and success.
• Stakeholders are a critical pillar in the success of any event. To a
certain extent, stakeholders shape the manner in which event
managers conduct an event.
• Stakeholders include, suppliers, customers, investors and the
media, they are very important in an event planning because
they can be affected by the event and the event also can be
affected by the type of evaluation received by the stakeholders.
 IMPORTANCE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN AN
EVENT

• It is also important to remember that stakeholders are people

with vested interests in the company and its products. They
are therefore potential attendees.
• Stake holders add value and reputation to the success of the
whole event.
• Moreover getting the right stakeholders to your event can
create the prospect of a great evaluation for the future event
planning as well.