Confessions of a Meeting Planner

Five things I would share about POST-Covid hotel contracts.

We sat down with our Program Designer extraordinaire, Melanie Zegers. We asked Melanie to share the FIVE best contract behaviours to work towards, POST-Covid.

1. Leave no ambiguity behind when it comes to defining ‘force majeure’ and detailed postponement terms.Ask the question, ‘what if…?’ making sure that the contract is crystal clear.
2. Be sure that you are allowed to apply any attrition, prior to any damages being assessed.
3. Avoid contracts that are geared to replacing lost profit and not, just lost revenue.

Melanie shared cases with us of hotel partners that would not show flexibility on damages for postponements due to COVID-19 restrictions. We likely will not work with those properties in the future.

4. When, or if there are damages and or refunds, be sure you understand when and how those refunds are being reimbursed. Melanie shared cases where hotels arbitrarily determined when deposits would be returned, and in some instances, it was many months after the cancellation, not weeks- as anticipated.
5. Lastly, make sure you actually have a ‘force majeure’ clause, as well as a thorough cancellation clause.

About Melanie Zegers

Melanie is inspired by ordinary people who do extraordinary things!

As an industry veteran in the meetings and incentive travel industry, Lorandus has been fortunate to have her on our team since 2016.  Melanie loves to travel and is always up for a great adventure… Especially to her favourite destination, Ireland!
A graduate of the University of Waterloo, and a lifelong resident of Waterloo, she is raising her 3 young daughters to be strong and fearless women!  In 2014 she founded The Nolan Melchin Memorial Foundation, which, in memory of her son, focuses on providing financial relief to local families battling childhood cancers. The foundation has supported McMaster Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Hamilton, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, Grand River Conservation, Clarky’s Kids, as well as numerous individual brave children battling cancer.