When event-driven tourism thrives, securing accommodations for all attendees can be a challenge—especially when room blocks sell out faster than anticipated. Experience Columbus faced this exact situation not once, but twice, when their contracted hotels for major events reached capacity before all guests could book. To solve this, they turned to Ripe’s Group Overflow feature, ensuring a seamless booking experience while keeping valuable room revenue within their destination.
Challenge: Sold-Out Room Blocks, Limited Time
For both the Iron & Steel Technology Conference (AISTech) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention, Experience Columbus encountered an urgent issue: their original hotel blocks had sold out, leaving some attendees without accommodations.
Needing a fast and reliable solution, they contacted Ripe to implement a custom Group Overflow booking engine—one that would direct attendees to alternative hotels in real time while maintaining control over participating properties and rates.
Solution: Rapid-Response Group Overflow Engine
Ripe’s Client Success Team acted swiftly, deploying custom booking links for both events within hours. These solutions provided:
- Customizable Hotel Selection: Experience Columbus had control over which hotels were displayed, ensuring attendees saw the best options.
- Live Rates & Availability: Guests could book alternative accommodations instantly without uncertainty.
- Easy Distribution: Experience Columbus shared direct booking links with event organizers and attendees, streamlining the process and keeping reservations within their network.
Ripe’s Group Overflow is the perfect solution when organizers are in a pinch and need a quick solution. To drive even greater impact, Ripe also offers Affiliate and Event Housing features that can help capture the full demand created by local events. These tools provide additional ways to keep bookings within the destination while offering event organizers more flexibility and control over lodging.
Success by the Numbers
NCTE Annual Convention 2023
AISTech Conference 2024
More Bookings, Higher Revenue, Stronger Partnerships
By leveraging Ripe’s Group Overflow feature, Experience Columbus captured over 100 extra room nights and retained more than $30K in revenue that would have otherwise gone to high-commission platforms. This not only ensured a smoother experience for attendees but also strengthened their relationships with event organizers.
Why Group Overflow Matters
By implementing Group Overflow, Experience Columbus achieved:
- More economic impact: Retaining bookings locally rather than losing them to third-party sites.
- Enhanced event partnerships: Providing a seamless solution helped build stronger relationships with event organizers.
- A better attendee experience: Ensuring guests had access to convenient lodging options kept the event experience positive.
In the fast-paced world of event-driven tourism, Ripe’s Group Overflow feature proves that destinations don’t have to lose room revenue—or guest satisfaction—just because a block sells out. Experience Columbus is a prime example of how a proactive, technology-driven approach can make all the difference.
Interested in keeping the economic impact of your destination’s tourism in-market? Schedule a demo with Ripe to learn how our Group Overflow solution can help maximize your event lodging strategy.
