Oxford International on minimising ash cloud disruption (16/06/2010)
We will:
- try to negotiate an additional clause in hotel contracts, stating that wherever possible, if the meeting has to be postponed due to the ash cloud, the hotel will seek to transfer all deposits to newly agreed meeting dates.
- book flexible, economy class air tickets that can be changed for a small fee (as per the client’s agreed budget). This provides the flexibility required should the situation arise where the client/presenters/trainers are unable to travel, but delegates are arriving from unaffected destinations.
- book train travel wherever possible or encourage delegates to drive if these alternative modes of transport do not result in significantly increased travel time for attendees.
- negotiate Destination Management Company (DMC) contracts to secure maximum flexibility on rebooking dinner venues and general DMC services.
- obtain the options and costs from all meeting venues for the set-up of tele/video conferencing facilities. This will enable attendees that are unable to fly to still participate in meetings that are not cancelled/postponed.
- and finally, if the meeting is a congress and dates cannot be changed, Oxford International will endeavour to negotiate a special clause in the contract with the hotel providing us with the best possible cancellation/attrition terms.
Whilst the negotiations outlined above will depend entirely on the discretion of each venue, we hope that by putting these procedures in place we can significantly minimise the impact that travel disruption might have on your event.
If you have any questions relating to current or planned events, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch – call Ian Lapworth on +44 (0) 1865 511550.