Booking hotel rooms for your event usually comes with a commitment: a room block. Attrition is what happens if your guests don’t fill all those rooms. Most hotels allow a small cushion— typically 10–20%— but falling short beyond that can mean covering the cost of unused rooms.
What Is Attrition?
Attrition is the difference between your contracted rooms and the rooms actually booked. For example, if you reserve 50 rooms with a 15% attrition allowance but only 35 are booked, you could be responsible for a few unused rooms.
When to Collect RSVPs
Before Booking a Hotel
Gather preliminary RSVPs to estimate attendance and right-size your room block.
Even a simple “Will you attend?” survey helps set expectations.
After Booking a Hotel
Launch your RSVP process immediately.
Early RSVPs let you track pacing toward your block and make strategic adjustments.
Nudging unresponsive guests or adding rooms if numbers rise helps avoid penalties.
Best Practices to Manage Attrition
Use RSVP tools: Real-time tracking keeps your headcount accurate.
Pad conservatively: Book what you’re confident you’ll fill; add extra rooms later if available.
Communicate early: Share booking deadlines with guests to secure rooms on time.
Ask for expert guidance: Our event planners can help forecast attendance and advise on realistic blocks.
Being proactive about your RSVP process is one of the best ways to avoid costly attrition penalties—and make sure everyone has a room when the time comes.
Next Steps
Launch a quick pre-RSVP survey to get early visibility.
Confirm your room block based on realistic attendance and hotel guidance.
Monitor RSVPs continuously and adjust as needed to avoid penalties.
TL;DR
Attrition = difference between booked rooms and actual usage
Hotels usually allow a 10–20% cushion
Collect RSVPs early and track them continuously
Pad your block conservatively; add rooms later if possible
Work with your event planner to forecast attendance and avoid fees