How is Island Meetings paid?
Island Meetings is owned by 21st Century
Group, Inc. Payment for our services is
usually in the form of commission that is paid to us directly by hotels,
resorts and other suppliers. There is typically no cost
for planners
to utilize our services. Many of the vendor listings found
on this site are provided to planners as a courtesy and we are not
compensated for listing them.
Does it cost any more to utilize your
services than if I go direct?
Hotels and suppliers are more interested in
getting your business than they are concerned about paying a
commission to our company. These vendors know they are competing
against each other for your business and therefore provide the
best pricing without regard to fees or commissions.
Can I use your services and still search
for hotels and other suppliers myself?
In the case of hotels, it is in
your best interest to let us make the initial contact with any
properties under consideration. From that point on you
should feel comfortable contacting any of these hotels whenever
you like. Before we begin the search you should tell us about
any properties that have already been contacted. With
regard to other vendors, you can do it yourself or let us do it
for you.
Do I need to have you
under contract or on retainer?
No, you do not need to have us on retainer
or under contract and our services are free of charge to you.
Can I contact you on short notice?
If you have a program planned for next week,
next month or next year we are at your service. We realize
that planning a program in Hawaii has many moving parts and some
elements that are unique to the islands. It is very easy
for us to make the the necessary contacts and get positive
results even with 24 hours notice.
What
differentiates you from meeting planning or
incentive companies?
The primary difference is that we do not
actively take over a planner's program - the planner signs all
contracts, handles deposits, conducts site inspections and
remains the primary contact as far as the hotel and other
vendors are concerned.
Our role is to identify the supplier, secure the best possible
terms, make sure contracts are properly executed and then get
out of the way so you can run your program.
What type
of planners should use you? Who should not use you?
Planners that run their own programs but
are constrained by time or staffing are ideal candidates for our
services. Planners that require the services of a travel,
incentive or meeting management company are not good candidates
for our services. There are fees involved with those
services that should be negotiated directly between the planner
and whatever company they choose to use.