Venue Reservations, a venue-finding arm of the Crown Partnership, says corporate clients are abandoning traditional Christmas parties in favour of award ceremonies and company dinners.
Head of venue reservations, Sarah Holland, says: “We have found that many companies have begun looking for alternatives to Christmas parties as they have found that festive events do not promote the inclusion of all staff, especially in larger companies due to various departments organising separate events.”
She adds: “Companies are choosing to celebrate collectively by hosting a single, large event that celebrates their employees’ efforts with a relaxed night of awards and speeches, allowing staff members and management alike to appreciate their peers’ hard work throughout the year; offering a clear incentive for the gathering.”
The venue-finder claims there is a slump in Christmas events throughout the country and puts it down to a variety of reasons, including the changing culture of brands which now see Christmas parties as an occasion which has less traction with staff members, even having “negative connotations of the ‘typical’ Christmas party which may deter some members from attending”.
Venue Reservations says cost is another factor, with pressure on Christmas budgets for many venues and agents alike. “This can be seen by the amount of clients willing to compromise on the busier festive dates and times for less expensive, cost effective dates (post New Year), which ensures that the client is able to have full control of the timing of their booking for a lower cost,” the venue-finder says.
“This trend can be seen as an indication of the growing struggle businesses may be having as they try to juggle economic factors such as Brexit and the impending rise of business rates, or alternatively the inflation of venue prices during the Christmas period which are difficult to match for corporate clients,” Venue Reservations adds.
