Conference and Banqueting Management in the UK: A Sector Report

This report delves into the conference and banqueting sector, primarily within the UK hospitality industry, using Hilton Group as a case study. It begins by examining the scale and scope of the sector, identifying key factors driving market growth, including environmental, socio-political, legal, and technical influences. The report then explores strategic and operational issues in managing conference and banqueting events, emphasizing the importance of high-quality product and service delivery, along with performance and quality review techniques like PERT. Furthermore, it evaluates different food production and service styles, considers factors for off-site banquets, and analyzes menu planning considerations, including limitations. Finally, the report assesses ergonomic considerations related to venue and facilities. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the conference and banqueting sector, encompassing various aspects of event management, strategic planning, and quality control within the hospitality industry.

Conference and Banqueting
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Discuss the scale and scope of conference and banqueting sector in the UK........................1
1.2 Deep reason of its market growth and key factors influencing its development...................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Key strategic and operational issues in management of conferences and banqueting event.3
2.2 Discuss importance of delivering products of high quality in a conference and banquet
event and analyse its performance and quality review techniques..............................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Evaluate the suitability of a range of food production systems and styles and food and
beverage service styles.................................................................................................................5
3.2 Discuss key factors and issues required to consider on an off site banquet..........................6
3.3 Evalaute the key menu planning consideration and discuss its limitations...........................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Evaluate the ergonomic considerations, including the venue and facilities used for a
conference or banquet event at Hilton group...............................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
.....................................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
In a hotel industry, the services of conferencing and banqueting is the major commodity
that is been taken in consideration by the firm. The arrangement of business conferences and
banqueting facilities turn out to be major factor of growth and development of operations and
thus will lead an effective rise in hotel business operations. It helps in building a good loyalty
towards the hotel and hospitality enterprise. The current assessment covers the banqueting and
conference management facilities prevailing in Hilton Group, which is a hospitality organization
operating in UK.
The report covers the details of scale and scope of this sector in UK with the key factors
influencing the growth of banqueting and conferencing. Besides this, strategic and operational
issues related are been focused upon with the importance of delivering the high quality products
and services. The suitability of range of food production system and styles and issues related to
off site banquet is been considered. Also, menu planning and restriction related to it are been
evaluated with ergonomic considerations related to venue and facilities.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
1.1 Discuss the scale and scope of conference and banqueting sector in the UK
The conference and banqueting sector or facility offered by a Hospitality firm like hotels
of Hilton Group is the major product and service that was led to place the operations of the
organisation to a greater productivity (Popovic and Campbell, 2018). With expansion of global
business culture, increasing trade relations and improvement of travel and tourism facilities, this
can be said that conference and banqueting services help the organisation to carry out the
business activities, enhancing its profitability. It has a vast scale and very describing importance
within the country.
UK is a very big economy which regularly access various conferences and banqueting
events. Thus, that will include hotel and hospitality which will help in proper rise in maintaining
a good assessment of the business operations and hence, the scalability and scope of conference
and banqueting in Hilton Group is widely dependent on other operating firms like bars,
restaurants etc. In general there are about 46000 small to big enterprises including bars, pubs,
hotels, motels and restaurants that caters the needs of about 1.5 million customers hence it helps
in proper revenue generation by the firm. This will help in effective growth of the business
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activities and hence, it will help in improving the conditions of conferencing and banqueting
services offered by incorporating high quality products and services by hospitality firm,
including Hilton Group (Venske, 2018).
The criteria of size are largely based on the concept of number of customers or guest that
are been visiting in an event like a conference or banquet function and the time period till it is
been carried out. As per the norms or customers that are been followed within UK, a small
conference lasts up to few hours to one day and have about 500 guests. A medium conference
can be of 2-3 days and have about 1000 guests. On the other hand, a big conferencing and
banqueting event may have about 3000-4000 participants and may last for 4-5 days. Hence,
ability to carry out this management decides the size and scope of a form to manage a conference
or banquet.
1.2 Deep reason of its market growth and key factors influencing its development
The major reason behind the effective growth of conference and banqueting operations is
that it has seen a proper rise in globalisation and effective market growth measures that help in
effective growth and development of business operations and activities. This has made the hotels
and hospitality enterprises a major point to carry out the business activities and thus, improve
their performance and growth of conference and banquet facilities. It also improves the quality
of operations and hence, support a proper market growth of the firm. Apart from this, there are
certain factors that help the firm to improve their conferencing and banqueting operations to a
greater extent. Effective handling of these factors or measures will help the firm to improve the
overall performance of business operations that are been carried out by a hotel and hospitality
firm like Hilton Group. Some of them are as follows:
 Environmental: This factors will help the firm to carry out their banqueting and
conferencing operations which will help the fir to improve their performance and have a
good sustainability which will help in proper assessment of the environment or nature
related functions in much suitable way (Singh and Srivastasva, 2016). This will help in
proper management of business activities and thus will help in effective rise in the
business activities. The utilization of environment friendly or organic products will assist
a fir to improve the quality of business operations related to organising of banqueting and
conference at Hilton group.
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 Socio- political factors: Many social or political events or parties can be organised
eventually that will help in placing the business activities and operations related to
conferences and banqueting. This factor is required to effectively carried out and placed
properly within a firm like Hilton group that will help in proper assessment of needs and
requirements of customers to develop and offer services and products related to their
conference or banqueting.
 Legal factors: This is an important and most crucial factor that is required to be taken in
context by selected hotel entity to carry out conferences and banquet facilities. The Hilton
group will look after the proper planning of business activities and thus will lead the
organisation to carry out business factors in much suitable way (O’Reilly, 2015). Any
sort of unethical or illegal gathering, conference or event can be deemed as the hazard for
the reputation of the brand image of the firm, impacting its revenue generation.
 Technical factors: Today, with the advance technologies, the management of
conferences and banquet activities is the major challenge that is required to be taken in
consideration that will help in proper growth of the organisation and carry out their
activities in much suitable way. Use of online booking, listing tools to mark the guest list
and using advance technologies to check out the participants will support the organiser as
well as the venue firm like Hilton group to make suitable arrangements for effective
business growth and development.
TASK 2
2.1 Key strategic and operational issues in management of conferences and banqueting event.
Various strategies are bee followed within the selected hotel enterprise, hilton Group that
will improve the quality of operations and managing the banquet or conference activity in much
suitable and effective manner (Do Le, 2017). However, their arises certain issues or restrictions
whihc will improve the overall operations of the busienss entity and operations in much suitable
way. The proper management of these operatiomns will help in improvoing the overall
operations in best suitable and effective manner. Some major strategic measures that are been
taken in context by the conference or banquet event in Hilton Group are as follows:
 Documenting and communicating the bookings: this is the major isse that is required
to be effectively managed by the organisation in much effective and suitable way. Bing
the uisage of latest techniques and terchnologies, these issue still prevails in the
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conferencing and banqueting event, that helps in proper assessment of business
operations and activities and thus will lead the firm to improve the effectiveness of
measures related to organising a event and assosciated measures that are been taken
within the firm.
 Placing a proper pricing: this is a scope or area where the chances of negotiation can
arise between the organisor of the event and the venue like Hilton Hotel. The products
and services that are inclusive in hospitality sector and provided fior the conference or
banquet event like halls, chaires, tables, dias, food and beverages, lightings, decoration
etc. Are required to be well priced in a reasonable way (Yang, Yu and Wang, 2016). If
the customer is not sartisfied, the scope of negotiation will occur, impacting not only the
revenue generation but also the goodwill and reputation of busienss conference or
banqueting activities.
 Health and safety measures: Maintaining the helath and safety of the organisation is
also a major concern or issue that has to be followed by a conference or banquet service
provider firm. Providing high quality food and beverages, maintaining cleaniness and
avoiding any sort of unwanted tresspassing within a event can be a major break through
the proper assessment of the busienss operations and hence will help the firm to carry out
business activities and organise a conferance or banquet event with much effectiveness. It
will also help the fior to sustain its customer base and improve its revenue generation.
 Implementation and assessment: Planning a conference and assessing its feasibility is
not a tedious task. The practical implementation is the factor where the real issues arise
(Kośmieja and Pasławski, 2016). The effective implementation of of a conference or
banquet event is deeply based on the effedtiveness and efficiency of the organisor and the
venue staff that will contriobute their part of services, respectively top mak the
conference or event successful and effective. This will also help in improving the
revwenue generation of the fiorm by effective usage of its resources to handle and
organise such events.
2.2 Discuss importance of delivering products of high quality in a conference and banquet event
and analyse its performance and quality review techniques
Providing the product or services and operational services of high quality and
effectiveness and effecoency to the guests or customers for carrying out of a conference or
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banquet event. The high quality product and services not only make the event more succesful and
effective but also improve the quality of services and action plans that are been taken in
consideration by the firm. This will encourage a organisor as well the vunue firm like Hilton
group to maintain the goodwill and and enhance the quality of products and services related to a
conference or banquet event. Various performance assessment and evalaution techniques and
measures are been carried out and impelemented within the Hilton Group to carry out the proper
assessmnernt of a Conference or banquet event at the selected hotel enterprise (Rahimi, 2017).
The conferencing and banqueting department of the organisation will use following performance
and qulaity review techniques which will improve performance of selected hotel enterprise to a
greater level and thus will enhance the overall performance of the firm. Some major tools and
techniques are as follows:
Performance evaluation and review technique (PERT): This will help the fior to carry out the
proper assessment of the business activities and operations in much suitable way. It will help the
firm to improve the overakll performance of the organisation and rtghus will lead the firm to
carry out the busienss operations and hence will help the firm to have a good assessmern to
business activities and operations (Kosmieja and Paslawski, 2016). This involves various steps
that will help in proper assessment of the operations and hence, will support the organisation to
have a critical path that will help in proper assessment of the high quality products and services
that are been carried out within the organisation. It will also assist me to improve my work
perfoprmance and hence, lwead me to enhance the quality of busienss operations and activities to
a greater level. This will not only improve the high quality products and services which will be
offered to their guest in a conference or a banquet event.
TASK 3
3.1 Evaluate the suitability of a range of food production systems and styles and food and
beverage service styles
A wide range of food production system and style is been taken in consideration that will
help in proper assessment of the food and beverage style within a organisation that will help in
improving the quality of services and operations carried out by the firm. It will assist in selection
of a suitable theme and prioactice to prepare and serve food and beverage items in a effective
and suiitable manner that wll help in improving the overall performance of business activities
and operations (McCallaghan, 2015). This will hwelp in proper assessment of the businerss
5

activities in much suitable way. This will help the organisation to improve the qulaity of busienss
operations and hence will apply the proper rise in organising the food and banqueting facilities of
the organisation in much suitable manner (Defining Sustainable Community Food Systems,
2018). Some of the food production system that can be followed by Hilton Group are:
Cook-freeze production method: It is a food prevention method that can be taken in
consideration by the firm this willhelp in improveing the overall performance of food and
beverage preparation. In this measure, the foood is prepared to some extent and then is freezed
down to a very low tempreture of about -20º C. Then, during the time of need, this can be
reheated and cooked completly.
Traditional production method: In this the food is cooked simultenously to cater down the
needs and requirements of the guests on tyhe day of event. This will help the organisation tio
serve out freshly cooked and warm food (Chibili, 2017). This measure is also followed when the
frozen food is not required.
Besides this, different serving styles are been taken in consideration by the firm which
will help the guests or participants to improve the qulaity of food and beverage serving measure
in muich effectgive way. Here, the hotel can use the English food serving style as in this, the
food will be served in a preplated food and thus, help the guest to enjoythe foood easily with
etiquttes. Other than this, it is a time and cost saving approach.
3.2 Discuss key factors and issues required to consider on an off site banquet
On an off site banquet, the management of resources and action plan is required to be
carried out in much suitable way that will help in placing the conference and banqueting
operations and thuis will help in proper selection of the products and services and thus will lead
the firm to set the venue, budget and theme (if any required) related to the operations and
activities of the organisation in much suitable way (Owusu-Mintah, and Dacosta, 2017). It will
assist an orghaniosation to improve the sales and manage the effective time schedule that will
help in effective planning of offsite issues of key factors like food and beverage, accomodation
and guest management services that will help in proper assessment of business activities in much
significant way. Thety will heva the impact on operations of the fiorm in following manner:
 Food and beverage: This will help the firm to improve their performance and will lead
the organisation to offer high quality products and services related to food items in much
effective way (Davis and et.al., 2018).
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 Accomodation: Hilton hotel will look after the proper accomodation and effective
planning iof the busuienss operations and activities that will help in suitable assessment
of the operations in much effective way (Banquet Service Sequence and Briefing before
event, 2018). Allocating the effective rtooms will help imn improving the customer
satisfaction level and goodwill with guests.
3.3 Evalaute the key menu planning consideration and discuss its limitations
Tghe palnning od a menue for a conference or a banquet event is the major consideration
iof the organisation that will in proper assessment of business activities and hence will lead the
operations of the firm to provide high quality services and thus will help in the proper
managemengt of the business operations and thus will lead rthe organisation to improve the
quality of business operations and thuis will lead the firm to enhance the effectiveness of a
conference or banquet event (Berners, 2018). It will help in improving the quality of operations
and thus, lead the organisation to enhance the qulaity of services in much effective way. Some
key factors and their limitations are as follows:
 Maintaing guest profile: This will help in controlling the number of participant in a
conference or organisation. Besides this, it will help in selecting the budget and
maintaining the effectiveness of the conference or event in much suitable manner. The
major limitation to it is that if number of guests abruptly increases, it causes the firm to
face a major mismanagement.
 Providing vast menu choice: it will help in improving and showcasing the product and
service profiling of Hilton Group that will help in suitable placing of services and thus,
leads to effective handling of business operations and hence, assist in catering a vast
menu choice (Rahimi, 2017). However, it place the customer in dilemma to chose the
appropriate products and services.
TASK 4
4.1 Evaluate the ergonomic considerations, including the venue and facilities used for a
conference or banquet event at Hilton group
Different egronomic considerations are been kept in consideration that will help in
meeting the needs of a conference or banqueting event in much suitable way. The management
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of Hilton group will look after theses measures in selecting a venue or improving the facilities to
be offered in a conference or banquet event are:
 Product or service quality: Hilton Hotel will see thriough that the products or services
like venue's ambiance, accomodation facilities and food or beverages that are been
carried out within the firm will help in proper planning and assessment of goods offered
to guests.
 Technical implecations: As gradually all the paper work related to conference
managemengt and banqueting is been digitalized, managing it proficiently is a major
concern for the organisation and hence, will look after improving the quality of
operations taken in copnsideration in much effective way (Seal and Mattimoe 2017).
 Team working: While carrying out a conference or banqueting operation, the
managemengt of a good team working is the major concern which is been carried out by
the selected hotel entity in order to improve the overall operations in much suitable
manner.
CONCLUSION
As the assessment on the conferencing and banqueting operations are been carried out by
the hotel organisation, this can be clearly said that the management of conferences and banquet
event will help in prioper managemengt of busienss operations and action plans that will assess
the effective quality and busienss operations and hence will lead the selected enterprise in much
suitable way. The present evaluation involves the analysis of scale and scope of hotel induxctry
to manage conferences and banquet events in UK with the key factors influencing its growth and
development. Strategic and operational issues involves are been discussed with identification of
importance of delivering quality and performance quality review techniques are been evalutaed.
Besides this, the food production and serving measures are been analysed with key menu
planning and assessment of egronomic consideration improving the effecrtiveness of services
undertaken in conferencing and banqueting function.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Berners, P., 2018. The Practical Guide to Managing Event Venues. Routledge.
Chibili, M., 2017. Modern Hotel Operations Management. Routledge.
Davis, B. and et.al., 2018. Food and beverage management. Routledge.
Do Le, T., 2017. The reasons and solutions for the under-representation of women in the hotels’
senior management.
Kośmieja, M. and Pasławski, J., 2016. Flexible designing of large sports complex. Archives of
Civil Engineering. 62(2). pp.77-88.
Kosmieja, M. and Paslawski, J., 2016. Flexible Designing of Large Sports Complex. Archives of
Civil Engineering. 62(2). pp.77.
McCallaghan, W.A., 2015. Service quality management in conference tourism: expectations
versus delivery (Doctoral dissertation, North-West University (South Africa),
Potchefstroom Campus).
O’Reilly, C., 2015. Identifying management competencies of hotel owner-managers & general
managers in the Republic of Ireland (Doctoral dissertation, Nottingham Trent
University).
Owusu-Mintah, S.B. and Dacosta, F.D., 2017. A study of events organised by hospitality
industries in Accra, Ghana.
Popovic, C. and Campbell, F., 2018, May. During the Conference. In Learning from Academic
Conferences (pp. 20-41). Brill Sense.
Rahimi, R., 2017. Customer relationship management (people, process and technology) and
organisational culture in hotels: Which traits matter?. International Journal of
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Rahimi, R., 2017. Organizational culture and customer relationship management: a simple linear
regression analysis. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. 26(4). pp.443-449.
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Constructivist Approach. 21. pp.260.
Singh, V. and Srivastasva, U.R., 2016. Team Performance Scale for Hospitality
Professionals. Journal of Psychosocial Research. 11(1). pp.1.
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Venske, E., 2018. Rising to the Occasion: Experiential Learning Experiences of Event
Management Students at a South African University of Technology. Event
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Yang, S., Yu, J. and Wang, X., 2016, January. Discussing on Management Accounting.
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<http://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/sarep/research-initiatives/fs/sfs/defining-sustainable-
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