I’ve been in the meeting industry for several years and meeting planners want their convention attendees to be happy. If the hotel the convention is being held at does not offer smoking rooms (Marriott, Westin, etc), you need to let the meeting planner and the hotel know why you are not staying there.

A little Meeting Planner 101 for those interested in how the process works: the meeting planner signs a contract with the hotel blocking as many rooms as they think they can fill with convention attendees. The hotel does not make much money off the rooms, they make their money off the food and beverage (luncheons, receptions, etc). If the meeting planner does not fill all of the rooms they blocked, they are charged a huge penalty. The reason being is that rooms were locked up, and the hotel could have rented them to John Q. Public for a higher room rate. Instead, they are now sitting empty.

Quite a few organizations use their annual conventions to make enough money to get them thru the upcoming year. Bigger room blocks get the meeting planner a better deal on food & beverage and meeting space. If the room blocks start getting smaller because smokers are staying elsewhere, the meeting planner does not get as attractive rates on food/beverage and meeting space. That impacts the organization’s pocket book.

With Marriott and Westin not having smoking rooms, I just ran into that situation with a convention I am attending.

When I saw the hotel was the Westin, I emailed the meeting planner and asked if they had a room block at a nearby hotel that had smoking rooms. I was told no, but the meeting planner gave me the info on a nearby hotel that did have smoking rooms. I let the meeting planner know that I normally do not reserve a room outside the room block, but in this case I would. She was appreciative that I understood the importance of booking a room inside the room block, but she also understood why I was not staying at the hotel she contracted with.

I also let the Westin know why I would not being staying there (they just lost more than $700 for my stay alone), and I also let the hotel I am staying at know why I am staying there.

In this case, it could be that the meeting planner had already contracted with the Westin before it was announced they would be a non-smoking hotel. I doubt Westin would have let her cancel her contract or reduce her room block. I am hoping that next year, this meeting planner will think twice about which hotel she signs a contract with. There are a lot of attendees at this convention who smoke, and I suspect they will be staying elsewhere. The hotel I am staying at is 2 blocks away, and it will be a very pleasant walk every day.

Hotels make billions of dollars every year from convention business. If meeting planners stop booking hotels that do not having smoking rooms for their conventions, the hotels are going to feel the impact.

I agree, Cinder. I've pretty much stopped going to conventions/professional meetings because of this. It's too much of a hassle, and i'll get my continuing education by way of correspondence courses in the comfort of my own (smoking allowed) home.

I've attended conventions in the past (fun fan cons, not business conventions), but I'm going to be very careful about where I go and where I stay when I attend in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by tnsmoker:
I've attended conventions in the past (fun fan cons, not business conventions), but I'm going to be very careful about where I go and where I stay when I attend in the future.

So far I've no problems with Hilton, Sheraton and Doubletree. Local boutique hotels are hit and miss. Got all the way thru booking a hotel in Albuquerque and wondered why they didn't ask if I wanted a smoking or nonsmoking room (doh!). When I asked about having a smoking room, that's when I was told they didn't allow smoking in any of their rooms. I politely told the res agent that a non-smoking room was unacceptable to me and to cancel my reservation. Without missing a beat, she gave me the name of a nearby competitor that did have smoking rooms.

Yes, it's becoming more of a pain and I am starting to resent having to do my own research to find a smoking room in a nearby hotel. Gets kinda tricky when it's a city I'm unfamiliar with, but I'll take that chance. Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful boss who is a non-smoker and is totally against smoking bans of any kind. As long as I can find a room with a comparable rate, he's fine with the choices I make.

quote:

Originally posted by cinder:
Yes, it's becoming more of a pain and I am starting to resent having to do my own research to find a smoking room in a nearby hotel. Gets kinda tricky when it's a city I'm unfamiliar with, but I'll take that chance. Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful boss who is a non-smoker and is totally against smoking bans of any kind. As long as I can find a room with a comparable rate, he's fine with the choices I make.

I've wondered sometimes, if there is a travel agency or travel web site or something like that, that does vacation planning/booking for smokers. If there is not, what a great idea that would be! I mean, they've already got a dating site for smokers, why not vacations for smokers!???!

Does this sort of thing already exist?

Thanks,

That's a very good idea for a new business niche. Products and services that cater exclusively to smokers! I.e. Smokers Preferred Travel Agency. For short trips under 500 M. instead of using a non smoking airline in an airport that treats you (the smoker) like you have leprosy, a private bus line that allows smoking. etc. etc. etc.

I recently had to book some travel & found hotels that mentioned they have some "non-smoking" rooms available. Suggesting that they also have smoking rooms. A phone call resolved the problem & everyone will be in a room that suits their wishes.

I have long maintained that the sole sensible legal remedy to 'protect' non-smokers (who care) is to require signage that let's people know smoking is permitted. After that individual responsibility and choice can do the job.

Excellent ideas! It does sound like a great marketing niche for someone.

Even if a hotel states they have nonsmoking rooms, I always ask for a smoking room to see what happens. Most do still cater to smokers. I'm sure the Hiltons, Sheratons and Doubletrees are enjoying the increase in business.

For some reason, all of the conferences I am travelling to so far this year have room blocks in non-smoking properties. It sucks, but I'll work around it.

For me personally (I live in Alaska), I have to fly a long way no matter where I'm going. If I'm going to the midwest or east coast, I fly Delta exclusively because their main hubs all have smoking rooms behind security in Salt Lake, Cincinnati and Atlanta. The connection times are usually tight, leaving me with a choice of eating or smoking. Guess which one I choose?

It has definitely reached a point where if you are a smoker you need to do some research before you travel.

Being a rebel by nature I have reduced eating out, I don't fly on planes, and avoid anything that doesn't want smokers. Doesn't that mean they don't want me or my money?