Why does ALA seem to run out of hotel rooms so earl?
ALA – like most associations – seeks to “block” or set aside only the number of rooms it believes will be reserved by members through the official “housing bureau” or association-designated travel agent. This can be a complex decision because (a) members may share rooms, (b) groups of members sharing rooms may make individual reservations – then consolidate, and (c) exhibitors may reserve blocks of hotel rooms before they make booth staffing decisions. As demand meets the pre-set block, ALA Conference Services negotiates with the hotel for additional rooms, at the same negotiated rate as the original “block.” Hotel contracts increasingly include “attrition” clauses – clauses that impose substantial financial penalties on associations for blocking rooms that are not subsequently used by its members and exhibitors. Attrition clauses are often the most intensely negotiated part of the hotel contract. Up to 20% of the rooms reserved are cancelled before the conference or meeting opens. For
