Do you possess good leadership and management skills? Are you passionate about hotel event planning and management? Then hotel event planning can be a great career option for you.
Nowadays, many hostellers look for hotel event planners who can use their creative skills and plan and organize beautiful, aesthetic events in their venues.
In this article we will let you know more about the job of a hotel event planner, salary, what responsibilities it comes with, and more about the designation. To know all these things stay tuned with us.
Also Read: What Is Hotel Engineering? Career Opportunity In 2024
What is Hospitality Event Management?
Event management is a significant part of the hospitality management industry. Hotel event management is the most requested part in the hospitality industry. The work of hotel event planners is to ensure that any event or function carried under their supervision is being carried out smoothly, hassle free without any problem.
These events can be small or large scale in size and they include weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, business events, conferences, and more.
Therefore, event planning is essentially the provision of specialized services for specific audiences at a certain time. Depending on the kind of occasion and the projected attendance, the event’s size and importance may vary.
Everything from straightforward event support for a state banquet event, or from tiny birthday parties to an outstanding trade fair, is included. Depending on the host’s preferences, the event may be held either outside or on hotel property.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Hotel Event Planner
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Need to Manage the Space Properly
An event planner ensures taking care of all event places in the venue including banquet hall, dining area, ballroom area, ground area, even the concert venue at times. This determines that they must know about each and every pros and cons of these areas. And also they must make sure that everything in this area works smoothly as per the host’s choice and the guest must enjoy it to the fulles
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An Event Planner is the Incharge of the Team
In order to pull off the event successfully an event planner would require a team of great soldiers who will help in making the event successful and worth it. Therefore, the event planner will be in incharge of all the teams starting from the cleaning staff to the catering crew who are behind working hard to make the event work successfully.
A hotel event planner must have the knack to hire people with top notch skills who can carry out all tasks smoothly and easily without any issues and this might also require them to meet third party vendors and deal with them. Thus, you must possess some great communication skills along with the ability to identify people with desired skills and manage them carefully.
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Attract More Clients
Besides, managing a big team there is one more significant responsibility under the event manager’s profile. It is attracting more and more clients for the venue. Therefore, the event planners are also in incharge of the sales and marketing team for the venue. From answering people’s enquiries to promoting their venue at different levels both online and offline, they must use best of their marketing and sales strategies to attract clients to their venues.
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Planning the Event
Event planners sit down with their clients to get an idea of the choices of their clients regarding the event or program and then plan the event accordingly that comes under the preferred budget of clients along with this it can meet all expectations of the host.
A planner will be in charge of everything, from invitations and timetables to the food and drink, and you’ll be doing it back to back. This calls for the necessity for meticulous planning abilities, a talent for effective delegation, and beyond all, the capacity for multitasking.
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Must be Present at the Event and Look at Each and Everything Thoroughly
Now when all the planning and preparation for the event is done it’s time for execution. Being at the venue communicating with each and every team and ensuring that all tasks are being carried out carefully and smoothly is one of the most important responsibilities under the domain of an event planner.
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Must be Ready for Any Situation
Event experts can determine that handling unforeseen problems that invariably happen during events is the hardest part of their work. There’s usually a little extra to keep event planners on their toes, from speakers who arrive late to unanticipated food sensitivities or visitors who didn’t RSVP. So, if a planner wants to live and prosper, they can’t spend too much time thinking about the issue. They must approach it using a can-do and can-solve mentality that prevents the guests and customers from remembering that it even occurred.
Salary of Hotel Event Planner
On an average a hotel event manager in India earns around 10 lakh per annum that accounts for approx 84,000 per month. However, the starting salary of a fresher event planner in the hotel industry starts from 3.40 LPA and this number increases as the employee experiences more in their field and upskill themselves.
Also, the salary can vary from different cities, different hotels and different countries. Such as in the USA on an average an event planner earns between USD 54,800 to USD 61,224 per year. Additionally, the average annual wage for an event coordinator in the USA is USD 46,872.
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However, the annual income range normally falls between USD 38,361 and USD 57,645. The pay scale can change depending on the hotel chain. In India, on an average a event coordinator earns around Rs 18000 per month.
Anyhow , in India, the average annual wage for an event coordinator is 258,000 rupees, or 103 rupees per hour. The starting salary for entry-level positions is 180,000, and the average yearly salary for experienced workers is 615,500.
Top 5 Courses for Aspiring Hotel Event Planners
The Events Leadership Institute (ELI) offers professional development classes and on-demand content for industry education. The fact that ELI’s workshops are taught by and for event organisers is one of the major advantages of joining.
ELI is the greatest choice if someone is searching for intense training on a certain subject, such as the fundamentals of event management, how to set prices for your event services, or practical event production. It is a several-week certificate programme with an instructor-led curriculum, homework, and exams.
If you are someone looking some personalized course in event planning and management then Special Events Institute is the correct choice. Through her online certificate programme, Jill Moran, CSEP, who created the Special Events Institute (SEI) and has a successful career in special events, is ready to impart her experience.
Students that enroll with SEI learn the fundamentals of organizing a range of events as well as event planning, marketing, and decor. Through lectures, conversations, readings, and presentations throughout each course module, students dive headfirst into the world of events. The best practices for what it requires to thrive in the field of events will be heard first-hand by students as they learn the basics from a professional like Jill Moran.
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For meeting and event planners seeking at your own pace, online courses that match their schedules, MPI Academy was created. They provide on-demand education such as certificate programmes and teacher-led classes covering a range of topics in conferences and gatherings.
If you are someone who cannot attend liv sessions and require an extra recording of each and every class then this course is great for you. Additionally, the event courses in this institute in-depth explain minor concepts in the event sector keeping no doubt among the students.
Both seasoned and inexperienced event planners would benefit from the undergraduate degree in meeting and event management offered by UMass Amherst. Because the credential has been approved by the Accredited Commission for Programmes in Hospitality Administration, you can relax. Students can complete their five-course degree in less than a year because it is mostly taught online. You can use the certificate to aid in your CMP exam preparation. Each course is corresponding to 36 hours of continuing education for the industry.
Either you are a beginner in this area or an experienced event manager wishing to upskill and attain more knowledge Event Planning Blueprint can be a great option for you. They offer mainly two types of courses in this domain:- The Event Planners Hub and Event Business Builders.
In the first one they teach you how to charge your services well, understand the management and planning of events professionally without any flaws, and they also teach you about sales and marketing of your services with a certificate of course. In the second course, they mostly teach from a business perspective and make you ready to run your own event management company and explain everything from scratch.
The Checklist for Hotel Event Planning
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Brainstorming
- Will the Event Go as Planned?
- How many people are required to make the event successful?
- Does the event fulfill a need that hasn’t been served on campus before?
- Are there resources available with us to make the event happen?
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Budgeting
- Have a meeting with the client and discuss the detailed budgeting of the event.
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Scheduling
- Contact the relevant room reservation office.
- What size space do you require?
- What types of technological needs do you have?
- What are the things under your budget?
- Tentatively schedule a few dates.
- Make a reservation for the performance date by calling your performer or vendor (if applicable).
- To confirm your date, give the reservation office another call.
- Set up a meeting to discuss your tech requirements and room configuration.
- Plan your performer’s transport needs, such as a trip to and from the airport or hotel.
- Make reservations for lodging and/or meals for your performer.
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Permits
- Food Permit
- Alcohol Permit
- Outdoor Space Permit
- Sound Permit
- Sanitization Permit
- Security Schedule
- Film License
- Sales Permit
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Grants/Fundraising
- Have you submitted your grant applications before the deadline if you are doing so?
- Do you have a meeting time set up with the grant committee?
- What steps are you doing to guarantee that you are capable of paying your vendor(s) up front?
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Advertising
- Poster Advertising
- Email Listservs
- Social Media Marketing
- Other means of Marketing
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Shopping
- Supplies Required for the Program
- Silverware
- Napkins
- Plates
- Cups
- Decoration
- Performer Oriented Items
- Other Requirements
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Week Prior
- Make reservations over the phone and double-check your information.
- Make sure the performer’s travel plans are made by calling.
- Call SAO to confirm that all permits are signed and prepared for pickup.
- Give group volunteers shifts at the event (setup, during, and cleanup).
- Make any flyers or programmes that will be needed for the event.
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Day of Event
- Get to the outcome site after picking up the vendor or performer.
- Keep a list of audience suggestions in the dressing room.
- Prepare for the event by getting there early.
- Meet the event’s vendors and help set everything up.
- welcome visitors at the door
- A wonderful time!
- Clean up; keep in mind that the reservation’s location can have unique clean-up requirements.
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After the Event
- Send letters of appreciation to performers and volunteers who put forth additional effort.
- Perform a post-event analysis
- Make sure to settle all debts and submit any grant applications by the due date.
Things You Must Consider Before Planning an Event?
- Enjoyment and Fun Games are the Integral Part an Event
While attendees should enjoy themselves and leave events feeling upbeat and eager to tell others about what they experienced, event planners must also bear in mind that the main goal of their service is to make a profit. In order to be profitable, the objective must be to promote additional products and take full use of any available selling possibilities, much like hotel banqueting.
- Take into Consideration the Size
Size is crucial, just like profitability. It’s crucial for event planners to maintain in mind how size affects the type of gathering and its budget. You should think big since the resources required to produce a meeting, fair, meeting, etc., regardless of how small, medium, or large the event is. Place a higher priority on the events that will allow you to get the most value for your money. Regardless of the event’s scale, organizers must be prepared to minimize costs and assess the effect on the company in order to determine whether or not the effort is worthwhile.
- Facilities and Off-Hour Activities
It’s not just about the conference or meeting for those who attend; they additionally desire to be able to sightsee, unwind at a spa, enjoy good eating, and stay in touch with their loved ones. This means that in addition to the conference itself, you should think about planning supplementary activities or even downtime for people to do anything that they wish.
These concurrent events could involve putting up dinners at well-known local eateries, sightseeing trips, savings at the hotel or city spa, or other activities. The event or meetings will be supplemented by after-hours activities so that participants may unwind and have fun without worrying about work. It also generates excellent networking chances.
- Plan Multiple-Day Events Precisely
Understanding that a lot of work goes into planning, developing, and organizing a concept that is in line with the client’s desires is important when Planning multi-day events. Once this idea has been formed, it takes a lot less personnel and money to recreate the event over a few days than it does to start from scratch each time. Even though multi-day events may be less difficult to plan, you may charge more for them and are likely to sell greater opportunity nights as a result.
- Make Good Use of Technology
You should use technology to assist you during the entire procedure. In order to reduce line-ups at the front desk during the pre-event period, attendees ought to be able to check in both online and at check-in kiosks. You can employ a variety of technologies throughout the event to make operations easier and the event operate more smoothly. The most crucial thing to remember is to embrace technology as it can truly help you stand out from other businesses and support personnel in management so that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
- Remember the Overall Experience Highly Matters
Above all else, it’s critical that the experience you design be memorable. It should be fluid, dynamic, engaging, and immersive all at once. This implies that everything should work together flawlessly to create a special event, with live music, top-notch catering, engaging speakers, and attention to every last detail.
The likelihood that people will repeat the experience increases with how memorable the event is. Having people who are well-trained and prepared to provide the information and support needed to help make the moment excellent is a crucial component of being memorable. To ensure that no information is overlooked, pre-event meetings and reviews are crucial.
- Don’t Forget Post Event Follow up
Once an event is over it doesn’t not mean your task is done then and there. Your key to ending the sales cycle is to interact with participants, conference leaders, decision-makers, and guests. Create justifications to keep people interested, whether it is through a newsletter, emails, or social media.
When time arrives to organize another memorable party, your property will be more readily remembered the more involved they are. Satisfaction surveys are another sort of post-event follow-up. Discover your best qualities and areas for improvement. Reputation management is crucial for this since it keeps you at the top of organizers’ minds and is critical to performing.
Skills Set Required to Become a Hotel Event Planner
- Organizational Skills
Event planners are extremely organized. Some people can function in a chaotic environment, but if you are a planner working on a team, it is crucial to rely on procedure and method. This entails keeping your team updated, adhering to timetables, budgets, and appointments, as well as maintaining the organization of crucial documents and data.
A well-run event doesn’t just happen by chance, after all. From pre-event planning to post-event analysis, it demands keen organizational abilities and attention to detail. A good event planner is always smiling, on top of things, and remembers even the smallest details.
- Communication Skills
Having great communication skills is very important for each and everyone, especially those who are aspiring to make their career as hotel event managers or planners in this field. Communicating with clients, local vendors, staff, and different types of people daily is a compulsory task of event planners that highly demand good communication skills.
- Good at Networking
Since the events sector is focused on connections and is primarily people-driven, networking is a crucial ability for event planners. It necessitates the use of a wide range of vendors, such as artists, light artists, and A/V decor, DJs, bands, and videographers.
- Pertain Basic Knowledge of Events
It is obvious you are planning to enter the world events then must know the basics of event planning and management thoroughly. As a planner you must know how to manage contracts, create a floor plan, deal with clients, draft an RFP.
- Problem Solving Attitude
Successful event planners are able to think clearly and resolve any issue. They aren’t just good with sticky notes and safety pins, either. When confronted with unexpected difficulties, they can act rapidly while maintaining their composure. They can shorten lunch queue wait times or occupy an audience while the opening address is snarled up in traffic.
Therefore, having quick problem solving attitude especially during the event time is very important to carry out a program successfully with calmness.
Conclusion
In this article we gave you a detailed understanding about hotel event management, how everything is done, what skills are required to excel in this field, what are the main roles and responsibilities of a hotel event planner, what are top courses that you can enroll in to get the best knowledge about the field.
Hotel event planning and management is a substantial part of the hospitality industry that earns lots of traction and especially since the past few times this department has received high growth and is expected to grow more with the span of time. To know more about this field and related topics follow our blogs regularly.