Music Festival Accommodation Management.

Most large-scale multi-day music festivals provide a variety of accommodation options which are essential for weekend ticket buyers as well as staff, artists and crew. Depending on the location, infrastructure and location, a number of accommodation choices are usually available. How do festival organisers manage their accommodation to meet demand and varying needs.

The provision of different accommodation options is a fundamental part of the multi-day festival with weekend ticket buyers preferring to stay on-site. Organisers can build and offer a variety of options from tent pitch spaces to luxury glamping appealing to different budgets. The management of a variety of accommodation options requires organisers to plan and build the associated infrastructure for each type and when combined with off-site accommodation options requires a fully integrated transport solution too. Accommodation managers use complex formulas (capacity vs. space) to calculate how many festival-goers can be accommodated in designated camping zones. This also enables them to calculate potential charges and revenue.

Who Needs Accommodation.
The biggest requirement for accommodation will be for festival-goers who invariably opt for camping either as an empty pitch space or luxury glamping. Staff and volunteers who need to stay on-site for the duration of an event may be allocated to a designated camping zone which will usually be free for them to use. Artists and crew may choose to be located on-site, usually in a glamping zone in a secure, segregated area or in local hotels, for example. Members of the press and other VIP guests will usually be offered a variety of accommodation options both on-site and off-site.

On-site Accommodation Options.
Planning on-site accommodation will require detailed mapping of the available space and then dividing this into designated zones for standard camping, glamping, VIPs, and staff for example. Each zone will require associated infrastructure to be constructed like bathroom facilities and security access with fencing depending on the accommodation types. Within the general camping area most organisers will designate different zones which will fit festival-goer requirements and typically include quiet zones, family zones, accessible zones and party zones. Glamping and other luxury options have been expanding at many festivals in recent years as they provide great revenue generation opportunities for organisers. These accommodation types are typically located in more convenient areas and have secure access control with add-on extras like premium bathrooms, dedicated bars, up market restaurants and food options. Artists, crew and staff on-site accommodation will be segregated with secure access allowing for increased privacy often combined with 24-hour catering.

Off-site Accommodation Options.
A remotely located festival may have limited options for local hotel or guesthouse accommodation, but some artists, VIPs and crew may prefer this option, allowing them to escape the chaos. If it is anticipated that numerous rooms will be required, organisers may have to block book well in advance to secure rooms. In most situations a block booking will enable organisers to obtain significant discounts on normal room rates. Festival-goers choosing the hotel or guesthouse options will likely have limited choice over the festival dates, although organisers can often earn a commission from hotels by including a link on their website. The key logistical challenge for organisers is integrating off-site accommodation with the provision of transport to and from a site. A meticulous schedule of designated drivers and vehicles will need to be organised with sufficient journey times allowing artists to get on-site in good time.

Selling Accommodation.
Accommodation for artists, crew and sometimes volunteers will usually be a cost incurred by the organisers and is not passed on. Most organisers sell their accommodation in line with ticket offerings usually in a tiered approach where buyers can obtain discounts for early booking or where the overall expenditure is higher. It is not unusual for premium and mid-tier glamping to sell out quickly followed by the general camping pitch spaces. Other alternative initiatives that are becoming popular are the provision of RV spaces, some with water and electric connectivity available. Although sleeping in a car is discouraged on most festival sites, some do allow it with certain provisions. The revenue earned from luxury glamping packages and general camping pitch spaces form a significant revenue stream for organisers and requires careful planning and management to succeed.

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including dedicated accommodation and transport features. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

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