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Visit Buffalo Niagara launches customer confidence program

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Fri, Jul 17th 2020 11:00 am

Special offers encourage meeting planners and groups to book Buffalo hotels and meeting facilities taking extra precautions to keep customers safe

The “Tourism Task Force to Reopen Buffalo,” under the guidance of Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Patrick Kaler, has created a communitywide customer confidence program designed to reassure meeting, group and sporting event customers that “Buffalo is determined to do what it takes to remain competitive as the tourism industry begins its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“In order to feel comfortable about booking future events in our community, our clients need to be assured that contracts have more flexibility,” Kaler said. “We strongly believe that this program, which offers substantial concessions as well as reassurances about health and safety through our ‘Buffalo Cares Pledge,’ is necessary to instill confidence that we are a competitive and safe destination to do business in.”

More than 30 hotels and meeting facilities are participating in the program, each offering a unique set of concessions and inducements to meeting planners, group tour operators and sports rights holders.

Possible concessions may include:

  • No attrition for groups with up to 75 rooms on peak
  • 50% attrition for groups with greater than 75 rooms on peak
  • Increasing independent planner commissions to 12%
  • No additional room rental charges to accommodate social distancing guidelines at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center
  • No charge to cancel up to 14 days before an event 
  • No food and beverage minimums
  • Triple brand points to the planner or recipient of choice
  • No fees for working with the AV provider of choice

“These unique offers are all designed to ease concerns planners may have about doing business while the pandemic continues to impact perceptions about the safety of travel and large meetings,” Kaler added. “Planners need to feel secure and confident about booking in Buffalo – they also need to know that the safety and well-being of their affiliates is our No. 1 priority.”

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