Office parties: Uncertainties around meetings

This time of year usually starts with office party time. Sanitation measures give some latitude this year, but in hotels, we are far from normal. Many companies have booked, but cancellations are on the rise.

Only 25 people are allowed in a room. “There are those who book in the hope that the rule will change and it will increase,” Hotel Chikoutimi owner Eric Larouche confirmed to TVA Novelles on Wednesday.

“The big parties have already been canceled because we know we can’t do big parties,” explained Anne-Marie Boudrol, general manager of the Association de l’Hoteller du Sagune-Lock-Saint-Jean.

And this is reflected in the bookings. According to this association, there is nothing to compare with other years.

And even if these festivals are allowed, management is very necessary. “No music, no buffet, it’s table service, it’s very complicated,” said Regis Lamontagne, general manager of the Joseph-Neo Leisure Center.

Some hotels adopt and offer a different formula. “There is one small nuance regarding events: if there is a show, we can be more. So, there are employers who reserve this formula to have their entire staff,” confirmed the owner of Hotel Chikoutimi.

At the Joseph-Neo Recreation Center, we did well too. “The government has announced 1^Is Bars peaked in November. I, here, I have a bar license, so I have the right to 230 people at a distance, ”Mr. Lamontagne said.

Despite this solution, the General Manager observed a sharp decrease in reservations. “We still have 40% less reservations compared to the years before COVID,” he said.

In fact, many companies have chosen to celebrate this year differently. They hold evenings directly in the restaurant. Reservations at Bistro Cafe Summam and Maria Maria increased by 25%.

“This year, in particular, the craze, it’s a monster. We have been getting calls since August to plan Christmas parties. We are full of cafes until 2022, ”said Melissa Jane Gauthier, general manager of communications at the restaurant.