Connections Housing News

By Jonathan Misiewicz, Vice President of National Accounts, Connections Housing Let’s face it, we’re all used to working in a very fast-paced environment. Now, in place of daily deadlines, back-to-back meetings, overflowing email boxes and a seemingly insurmountable to-do list, our industry has been sidelined by coronavirus and the uncertainty in its wake.   A temporary set-back to be sure, but it’s left us all waiting - biding our time while looking for signs that business is returning.     Mindset Management The key thing to remember is that this return is out of our control.   We should turn our focus, instead, to what we can control.   Use this down time wisely --   zeroing in on those mental and physical aspects of our lives that took a back seat while we were always on the go --   and working   to strengthen them so that we are ready and at the top of our game when the time comes to get back to work at full throttle. I’m making a conscious effort to focus on healthy living

 By Edie Gupton, Travel Services Manager, Connections Housing As more destinations, hotels and venues reopen, more people are asking if it is safe to travel.  While there’s little question that the travel/hospitality industry is going above and beyond to implement safety protocols to keep guests safe, the answer is not a simple yes or no.  Rather, the decision to travel is one we all must make for ourselves right now -- based on our individual circumstances, health concerns and comfort levels.  The good news is that there are several resources you can use to help make an informed decision.  Among them: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) The CDC website travel page   is a wealth of information –offering everything from a practical list of things to consider before you travel,  helpful FAQs,  travel health notices and post trip safety tips. In addition, the CDC also provides a one-stop resource list with links to all state & territorial health department websites.   

 By Tom Bell, Leader of Sports Programs, Connections Housing Here at Connections Housing, we’re back in the game – managing housing needs for our first live events since the Covid-19 lockdowns began in March 2020. Among them, a series of national baseball tournaments we recently completed for travel teams in age brackets ranging from 15 to 18 for our client, a premier provider of amateur baseball events. The client hosts high quality travel team tournaments and individual showcases throughout the country. Its database and scouting reports, as well as player rankings, have been proven to be a valuable resource for all College Coaches and MLB scouts. Some quick stats.   These   tournaments: -Ran from late June through July -Ranged in size from 70 to 320 teams -Attracted players, families, scouts, coaches, friends, and fans - Housing needs ranged from team room blocks, special requests, individual reservations, relocations, cancellations and more Key Takeaways While outdoor

By Alicia Perez-Arrieta, CMP, Director, Client Management, Connections Housing Before joining Connections Housing, I was a meeting planner for more than 25 years. Throughout my career I worked with groups of all sizes and never once used a housing company for my events. Knowing what I know now I can’t believe it. My life could have been so much easier! Meeting planners have so much to worry about – from planning a program to making sure the buses are waiting outside. When you partner with a housing provider, you’re adding yet another level of service to your client offerings. Consider: It’s Complicated. From contracts to those ever-present room poachers and pirates, housing is a multi-faceted part of any event. Your housing partner’s expertise in this channel allows them to really drill down to cover every part of the housing equation so you can focus on other things. We monitor your room blocks and booking patterns. We make sure concessions are built into your contract. We have insigh