Convention Housing

Although it's easy to do a quick search for hotels and accommodations, we realize that some groups requiring a centralized source to manage housing reservations.

The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau has partnered with both Passkey, Inc. and Experient to handle our housing needs.

Benefits Include:

1. Offers a secure environment for gathering, processing, and distributing data.
2. Both systems can work for groups utilizing one or more hotels.
3. Reservations, changes, and cancellations can be made via phone (toll free for domestic callers), fax, mail, and the Internet.
4. Hotel acknowledgements are sent within a week of receipt; immediately if an e-mail address is given.
5. Through a special access code, real time management reports are supplied on demand.
6. Room blocks can be arranged down to the sub-block level (e.g., VIP's, suites, exhibitors, attendees, staff, etc.).
7. Along with the housing manager, meeting planners themselves can control specific blocks.
8. Different housing policies can be implemented for various sub-blocks, depending on the meeting planner's needs and requirements.
9. After cut off, direct data transfer of the rooming list is available to the Hilton, Hyatt, and the Marriott hotel chains.
10. Inexpensive! For full service (phone, fax, mail, Internet):
    2008 – $14.80 per reservation
    
    If you have any questions regarding ACVB Housing contact Delores Sykes, Director, ACVB Resource Center at 404.521.6627.

Passkey:

1. Delores Sykes, Director, ACVB Resource Center will work directly with the client to set up the group in the Passkey system, establish sub-blocks, cut-off dates, and cancellation dates. She will also communicate this information to the hotels. She is located in the Atlanta office and will manage blocks on a daily basis, keeping in constant contact with the hotels and the client.
2. The Passkey call center is located in New Brunswick, Canada and is run by Virtual-Agent Services. Hours of operation are from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
3. With Passkey, the client has the option not to utilize the call center (fax, mail, and Internet only). The cost per reservation will be $8.50.
4. The system stays on after cut off. Hotels can opt to zero out, or continue selling rooms within the block at the same or a higher rate. Client will get credit for these rooms booked through the system before the system shuts down seven days out.
5. Hotels are billed based on reservations in the system when the system shuts off, approximately seven days before the event begins.

Experient:

1. A representative will be assigned to work directly with the client to set up the group in the system, establish sub-blocks, cut-off
   dates, and cancellation dates. That individual will also communicate this information to the hotels. Located in the Chicago office,
   the Experient representative will manage blocks on a daily basis, keeping in constant contact with the hotels and the client.
2. The Experient office hours for phone transactions are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST. All paper reservations,
   changes and cancels received by fax and mail are handled Monday through Friday from 8am - 11pm CST. Internet and incoming
   fax services are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
3. Experient will send an initial rooming list to hotels 21 days prior to the meeting. They will continue to manage inventory
   including new adds, changes, and cancellations with hotel/client approval. A final rooming list will be sent to hotels seven days
   prior to the meeting.
4. Hotels will be billed based on peak reservations 21 days out, or if an extension is granted, seven days before the event begins.
5. Experient has the ability to establish a waiting list, should all hotel rooms in the city-wide block sell out.
6. Experient can also handle advance registration, hotel contract negotiation and air and ground transportation for an agreed upon fee.
7. Experient is the source for integrated meeting and event services
8. Log onto www.experient-inc.com and fill-out an on-line form noting the services you are interested in and a representative will
   contact you directly.