The National Business Travel Association has modified its Modular Hotel Request For Proposals to include environmental questions and support dynamic pricing requests for the 2008-2009 hotel negotiating season.
NBTA's hotel committee announced the amendments to its RFP last month. The changes address issues hoteliers and consultants said increasingly have been discussed in hotel negotiations. Green issues in particular have proliferated in RFPs, although consultants have said they largely are for informational purposes, not decision-making purposes
(BTN, Oct. 8)."You almost have to include green questions in any kind of request for hotel or meetings information, because it's so politically hot right now," NBTA president Kevin Maguire said.
Such questions address hotel carbon-offset programs, environmental certification programs, recycling and water conservation initiatives, as well as the communication of such programs to hotel guests.
"I've seen a lot of hotels with great green ideas, but you stay at the room, and those procedures are never followed," said Maguire, who also is manager of travel for intercollegiate athletics for The University of Texas.
The new RFP also addresses needs of the physically challenged, asking such questions as availability of handicapped parking.
Consultant Carol Ann Salcito, president of Management Alternatives, has not seen any buyers use green questions as a dealmaker or breaker.
"All corporations are trying to step up to the plate. We have not seen a big impact yet," Salcito said. "If there was a corporation where everything is equal with rates and amenities and one hotel has a better green initiative than another, then it would be kind of crazy if they didn't go with them, but we just haven't seen that apples-to-apples scenario yet."
The RFP's pricing matrix now also reflects cap/ceiling rates and the percent discount taken from best available and corporate rates. Travel buyers have been adopting dynamic pricing in cities where they have less volume
(BTN, May 21).NBTA's model hotel RFP is widely accepted as the industry standard.
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