In today’s rapidly evolving events industry, sourcing and planning have become more challenging than ever before. The abundance of individual websites for hotels, venues, services, and destinations offers a fragmented view that hinders our ability to make informed, side-by-side comparisons. As we have been sourcing locations for our clients in cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston, we’ve encountered significant obstacles in accessing comprehensive information for venue-only sourcing, particularly when these venues are not attached to hotels.
The Fragmentation Challenge
When sourcing venues, one would expect seamless access to detailed information to aid in making well-rounded decisions. Unfortunately, this is far from reality. Venues often have standalone websites that lack the detailed, side-by-side information necessary for proper evaluation. This fragmentation complicates the process of finding, evaluating, and contacting each venue, thus impeding our ability to select the best fit for our clients’ events.
The Planning Puzzle
The hurdles do not end with sourcing. Once a venue is booked, planners face further difficulties. Hotel websites frequently lack the comprehensive tools and information needed to visualize the property and make crucial agenda decisions. This lack of readily available resources is particularly problematic when event numbers change, necessitating flexibility and adaptability in planning. Without a clear view of what the property offers, planners struggle to make informed decisions that could enhance the event experience.
Supplier Communication Breakdown
Compounding these issues is the challenge of supplier communication. We have found it increasingly difficult to reach suppliers and obtain accurate information. This raises several questions: Are we sourcing more events than before, stretching resources thin? Are sales managers not adequately equipped with the necessary information? Or are they simply too busy to respond promptly to planners?
Additional Supplier Services
The complexities extend beyond just venue and hotel sourcing. Planners also need to coordinate with various other supplier services such as catering, transportation, and activities. Each of these elements is crucial to creating a seamless event experience that meets clients’ needs and expectations. However, limited time and fragmented information make it challenging to budget effectively and determine the best options for clients. The lack of centralized information for these services makes budgeting and proposing to decision-makers a time-consuming and difficult task. Planners must often juggle multiple inquiries and piecemeal responses, adding unnecessary complexity to an already intricate process.
There is undoubtedly a disconnect in the meetings and events industry that complicates the sourcing and planning process. Instead of streamlining and simplifying these tasks, the current system adds layers of difficulty.
Innovating for a Better Future
This is where virsitour comes into play. Created to address these very challenges, virsitour is dedicated to revolutionizing the way planners source and plan, and how suppliers receive and respond to RFPs. Our platform bridges the gap, offering a unified space where detailed, side-by-side comparisons of venues are possible, and where planners can find all the necessary tools to make informed decisions.
By providing a centralized source of information and facilitating better communication between planners and suppliers, virsitour simplifies the complex landscape of event sourcing and planning. We are committed to continuous innovation, ensuring that both planners and suppliers can navigate the industry more efficiently and effectively.
While the current state of event sourcing and planning presents numerous challenges, there are solutions on the horizon. Through innovative platforms like virsitour, we can overcome these obstacles, making the process smoother and more intuitive for everyone involved. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing such innovations will be key to enhancing the efficiency and success of event planning.
Check us out at www.virsitour.com or contact us at hello@virsitour.com to set up a call to see our NEW Platform very soon. Be a part of the revolution to make the way we source and plan better and easier for us all.