Supplier Categories

Hotel Sales — Chain

A group of hotels totally or partially owned and/or managed by the same company or owner, and having its own president, headquarters, marketing agreements, sales agreements and internal operating systems. A Chain Hotel can have multiple brands.

Criteria: An FICP Chain Hotel must have 35 or more properties within Continental North America or a minimum of 100 hotels worldwide. Continental North America is defined as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda.

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a hotel property or conference center associated with an FICP-recognized Hotel Chain and with direct sales responsibility in the insurance and financial industry.

Hotel Sales — Small Collection

A group of hotels from 5 to 34 worldwide that are totally or partially owned and/or managed by the same company or owner, and having its own president, headquarters, marketing agreements, sales agreements and internal operating systems. A Small Collection Hotel can have multiple brands. Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a hotel property or conference center with direct sales responsibility in the insurance and financial industry.

Hotel Sales — Independent

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of an independent hotel property or conference center, either domestic or internationally, whose primary responsibility is sales in the insurance and financial industries.

Independent Representatives that sell multiple hotel properties are not included within this category.

A professional services company with local knowledge, industry-specific expertise and extensive community contacts and resources specializing in the design and implementation of events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics, and that works directly with meetings professionals. Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a destination management company that has been in business for at least two years.

Independent Representatives that represent DMCs but are not in fact DMCs are not included within this category.

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a convention and visitors bureau/ association/authority (CVB/CVA) or tourism authority (a not-for-profit organization) that promotes a town, city, region, or country in order to increase the number of visitors. It promotes sales, tourism marketing, and services, and is supported by transient room tax, government budget allocations, private membership or a combination of any or all three.

• An airline is an organization that owns and operates airplanes and provides a public or private service of air transportation on one or more routes.
• A cruise ship is a passenger vessel with rooms and amenities used to transport guests to various predetermined destinations.
• A river boat is a voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports along the way.
• A passenger train is a voyage along a designated rail route, often stopping at multiple locations along the way.

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of an airline, cruise line, riverboat line or rail train, working in a sales capacity.

Independent Representatives that represent these companies are not included within this category.

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a company that provides global sales services for multiple defined chain, small collection or independent hotels, cruise lines, destination management companies or other services that meet FICP requirements for eligibility as outlined within each of the hospitality partner categories. Those corporations promoting program operations (e.g., operations, billing or analytics) are not eligible. Independent representatives who also market third-party incentive services cannot market those services to FICP members.

A company whose primary purpose is to provide audio visual support and production for meetings or events, including staging, lighting, sound and video. Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of an AV or production company.

A company that represents a collection of speakers who talk about a particular subject, and that operates to facilitate speakers for clients requiring, for example, motivational speakers, celebrity appearances, emcees or conference facilitators, or keynote speakers. Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a speakers bureau; individual speakers are not eligible.

A firm representing the interests of multiple entertainers, including those who work within the company but must also be able to hire outside acts. Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of an Entertainment Company. Individual entertainers are not eligible.

Individuals under this category must be an employee or designated representative of a company that provides technology services that offer unique solutions or specific value to the meetings and events industry.