Question 1

Because reservation agents are monitored for the amount of time they take on each call, optional reservation data (such as date of arrival and number of rooms required) is often omitted when taking a telephone reservation.

Accepted Answer

Reservation agents are trained to collect all necessary information, including optional reservation data like date of arrival and number of rooms required, to complete a reservation efficiently and accurately, despite being monitored for call time.

Question 2

Under pressure from anti-terrorist groups, the federal government's Office of Homeland Security has required the hotel industry to standardize all reservation-codes across the industry. This allows for easy identification of travelers.

Accepted Answer

The Office of Homeland Security has not mandated the hotel industry to standardize all reservation codes across the industry for the purpose of identifying travelers. Reservation systems and codes are typically proprietary to each hotel or hotel chain, and there is no public evidence of such a requirement being imposed by the federal government or its agencies.

Question 3

Travel-agency reservations need to be distinguished from other reservations because travel agents typically get a 25% commission for business booked.

Accepted Answer

Travel agency commissions vary widely and are not universally set at 25%; the percentage can differ based on the agreement between the agency and the service provider.

Question 4

Many hotels choose to stay away from convention business because convention delegates generally spend less per day than other guest types.

Accepted Answer

Hotels often pursue convention business because convention delegates tend to spend a significant amount in the hotel on food, beverages, and other services, which can be more profitable for the hotel. Additionally, conventions help fill a large number of rooms, which increases occupancy rates.

Question 5

Pressure to balance municipal budgets has forced Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) to limit their cooperation with lodging industry partners and reduce overall services to citywide convention groups.

Accepted Answer

Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) often work closely with lodging industry partners and other stakeholders to attract and support citywide conventions, as these events are significant revenue generators for cities. CVBs aim to enhance services, not reduce them, to ensure the success of such events and the satisfaction of attendees, which in turn helps in balancing municipal budgets through increased tourism and business travel revenue.

Question 6

It is standard procedure to offer rate discounts to
A) AARP members
B) Uniformed personnel, military and even firefighters and police
C) AAA members
D) Senior citizens
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

It is common for businesses to offer rate discounts to various groups as a way to show appreciation, encourage loyalty, or adhere to partnership agreements. AARP members, AAA members, uniformed personnel (including military, firefighters, and police), and senior citizens often receive discounts on services and products. This practice is widespread across different industries, including travel, hospitality, retail, and services.

Question 7

Executives of various trade and professional associations have, in turn, their own affiliation, ASAE, which is The:
A) American Society of Association Executives
B) Associated Society for American Standards
C) Associated Society of American Executives
D) American Standard for Associated Enterprises
E) None of these are involved in convention business

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A) American Society of Association Executives. ASAE stands for the American Society of Association Executives, which is a membership organization for executives of trade and professional associations.

Question 8

Tour groups are:
A) Quoted rates as per person double occupancy (shares-with)
B) Part of a hotel's IT package
C) Assigned rooms throughout the hotel to minimize noise and baggage handling on floors
D) Not a component of yield-management considerations
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Tour groups are typically quoted rates as per person double occupancy, meaning the price given is for each person assuming they will be sharing a room with another person. This is a common practice in the tourism and hospitality industry to make pricing more attractive and to efficiently manage room occupancy.

Question 9

If members of a convention group are offered a range of rates, the rate quote is said to be:
A) Spread or sliding rate
B) Rack rate
C) Flat rate
D) Run-of-house rate
E) All of the above except D

Accepted Answer

A spread or sliding rate refers to a pricing strategy where different rates are offered to different customers based on various factors such as the time of booking, length of stay, or demand. This is common for convention groups where the rates can vary to accommodate different needs and budgets within the group.

Question 10

Reservations requiring cash deposits have:
A) Been required from travel agencies since airlines have stopped paying them commissions
B) Generally replaced credit-card deposits as a means of saving commissions
C) Wider use among commercial/business properties than roadside motor inns
D) Never been popular with hotels
E) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of Reservations requiring cash deposits have:
A) Been required...

Question 11

You have been asked to construct a computer program for taking telephone reservations; but capacity is limited. You must hold to the 6 most important components of a reservation. List them.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You have been asked to construct a...

Question 12

Because organizations which qualify for discounts at most hotels, like AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) and AAA (American Automobile Association), are interfaced directly to national central reservations systems, they do not require members to ask for discounts when making reservations. Through the interfaced technology, discounts are automatically granted to registered members.

Accepted Answer

Members of organizations like AARP and AAA often need to mention their membership and ask for applicable discounts when making reservations, as discounts are not always automatically applied through central reservation systems. Members typically must present their membership card at check-in to receive the discount.

Question 13

Within a given city, there is usually a convention and visitor's authority or bureau (CVA or CVB) which handles group room negotiations between more than one hotel. In other words, a large convention coming to Fresno (assume it is too large a convention to be housed in just one of Fresno's hotels) would initially be handled by the CVB acting on behalf of several hotels at once.

Accepted Answer

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) often facilitate negotiations and arrangements for large events, including handling group room bookings across multiple hotels to accommodate large conventions that cannot be hosted by a single hotel.

Question 14

Guaranteed reservations made by telephone are confirmed on the spot, with the reservationist furnishing the caller a confirmation number. This is true even for those reservations systems which send written acknowledgment to the guest several days later.

Accepted Answer

Guaranteed reservations made by telephone are indeed confirmed immediately, with the reservationist providing a confirmation number to the caller, regardless of whether a written acknowledgment is sent later. This practice ensures that the guest has immediate confirmation of their booking.

Question 15

Reservations without deposit or guarantee (non-guaranteed reservations) are sometimes referred to as 6pm-hold reservations.

Accepted Answer

Non-guaranteed reservations, often called 6pm-hold reservations, are those where the hotel holds the room until a specific time (commonly 6pm) on the day of arrival without requiring a deposit or guarantee. If the guest does not check in by that time, the hotel may release the room.

Question 16

Guaranteed reservation guests arriving very late (say 2am or later) will still be provided a room, because their guarantee paid for it and it belongs to them all night long, no matter what the arrival time.

Accepted Answer

A guaranteed reservation means the hotel promises to hold a room for the guest, regardless of their arrival time, because the guest has either prepaid or provided credit card details to secure the room.

Question 17

An IT (Inclusive Tour) package is put together by a tour operator and sold to guests through travel agents.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An IT (Inclusive Tour) package is put...

Question 18

Reservations should not be quoted an exact rate. Rather, they should be quoted a rate range (usually about a $6 to $10 spread) with the low-end of the range being the rate requested by the guest. In this way, if the exact room requested is not available when the guest arrives, the hotel can upgrade the guest to a more expensive accommodation and charge the higher end of the rate range quoted.

Accepted Answer

Quoting a rate range allows flexibility for the hotel to upgrade guests if necessary, while still adhering to the quoted price range, thus maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing revenue.

Question 19

One complimentary room per 50 room nights sold is a widely quoted industry measure used when negotiating convention and group business.

Accepted Answer

This is a common practice in the hotel industry, often referred to as the "1 per 50" rule, where hotels offer one complimentary room for every 50 room nights booked by a group or during a convention.

Question 20

A hotel's IT package is generally identical in terms of services and amenities as a package offered by a wholesaler through a travel agent in a distant city.

Accepted Answer

A hotel's IT package may differ significantly from a package offered by a wholesaler through a travel agent, as the latter often includes additional services like flights, transfers, and tours, tailored to create a complete travel experience.

Quiz 6: Individual Reservations and Group Reservations