CHA Event Planning & Conference Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A force majeure clause in an event contract protects both parties when:
- An event must be cancelled due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond either party's control (Correct answer)
- The hotel overbooks sleeping rooms and must relocate attendees
- A client demands a room rate below the hotel's minimum acceptable rate
- A vendor fails to deliver equipment on time due to poor planning
Correct answer: An event must be cancelled due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond either party's control
Force majeure covers extraordinary events such as natural disasters, government actions, or pandemics that make it impossible for either party to fulfill contractual obligations.
Question 2: When calculating the per-person cost for a plated banquet, which expense category is typically NOT included in the food and beverage quote?
- Audiovisual equipment rental (Correct answer)
- Menu ingredient costs
- Labor for banquet servers
- Kitchen overhead allocation
Correct answer: Audiovisual equipment rental
Audiovisual equipment is typically billed separately from food and beverage, as it falls under a different department and cost center within the hotel.
Question 3: What does a 'shoulder period' refer to in the context of hotel event booking?
- Dates just before or after a peak demand period offering lower rates (Correct answer)
- The transition time between a general session and breakout sessions
- The minimum revenue guarantee required in group contracts
- The period during which a room can be held without a deposit
Correct answer: Dates just before or after a peak demand period offering lower rates
Shoulder periods are dates adjacent to high-demand periods where hotels often offer more competitive rates to attract groups and fill otherwise soft inventory.
Question 4: A corporate client requests a 'master account' setup for their three-day conference. This means:
- All authorized event charges are billed to a single account settled by the client company (Correct answer)
- Each attendee receives an individual folio for all personal and event charges
- The hotel splits charges evenly across all attendees' room accounts
- The client pays a flat fee upfront with no itemized billing
Correct answer: All authorized event charges are billed to a single account settled by the client company
A master account consolidates pre-approved charges (meeting room rental, group F&B, AV) into one folio billed directly to the organizing company, simplifying reconciliation.
Question 5: When establishing the food and beverage minimum for a group event, the hotel should consider:
- Space rental displacement cost, event duration, and expected per-person spend (Correct answer)
- Only the menu costs plus a standard 20% profit margin
- The client's preference for a lower minimum to win the business
- Competitor pricing without regard to the hotel's own cost structure
Correct answer: Space rental displacement cost, event duration, and expected per-person spend
The F&B minimum must offset the opportunity cost of using the space (displacement), cover event labor and food costs, and generate acceptable profit given the event's duration and size.
Question 6: A post-event review ('debrief') with an event organizer is MOST valuable because it:
- Identifies service successes and failures to improve future events and strengthen the client relationship (Correct answer)
- Provides an opportunity to upsell the client on a larger room block next year
- Satisfies legal requirements for documenting event performance
- Allows the hotel to dispute any contested charges on the master account
Correct answer: Identifies service successes and failures to improve future events and strengthen the client relationship
Structured post-event debriefs capture operational learnings, demonstrate the hotel's commitment to continuous improvement, and help retain repeat group business.
Question 7: Which setup style features a large table with chairs around the perimeter and is ideal for board meetings or small group decision-making sessions?
- Boardroom/conference style (Correct answer)
- Chevron/herringbone style
- Cabaret style
- U-shape style
Correct answer: Boardroom/conference style
Boardroom style places all participants around a central table, facilitating direct eye contact and discussion among a small group of typically 10–25 people.
CHA Event Planning & Conference Management 2
A force majeure clause in an event contract protects both parties when: