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Booking system proposals.

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Kulze:
While I know this might be a problematic topic at the moment as many people (me included) are more then unhappy about it, I thought about several ideas for future improvements about it.

This year was a disaster, noone will argue about that, either people were unhappy about not getting a room, which there simply aren't enough and we can't do anything about anyway. Or more likely infuriated about the booking site being overloaded, resulting in very long waiting times to book, at times were either people are at work, or for americans being sleeping time still.

While in my perspective it is absolutely ok to miss out on a room if you're late to the party, it's absolutely not if you're on time and the system simply never lets you book, resulting in many people getting a room by a lucky chance which came later for instance, leading it to being nothing less then a lottery.

So as suggestions:

With the limited amount of rooms there definitely should be a system which prioritizes different people. The staff having a room at the con hotel goes without saying, as they simply need one to be at the place for the duration of the con.

People with special needs of some kind should also be prioritized, sitting in a wheelchair or similar cases are simply unable to move towards the convention in a timely matter otherwise, making them often miss out on the experience if there is no room at the main hotel.

The solutions about such a prioritization system for everyone else could either be by registration number, that would put a strong burden onto the registration system for the conticket again, a thing which might not be good, even with it being more stable then ever, that would probably chance as people frantically click to make it happen. It is a solution and definitely possible.

Personally I would suggest one of the two following ones:

Prioritize super sponsors and sponsors for getting a hotel room, opening booking a few days after the due payments would stop the burden on the registration system, as well as giving people an incentive to pay more and keep the con growing and healthy. Basically creating a unique code for every person to stop them giving theirs out, and this code opens their option to book. On the first day all super sponsors are given one such code, and the second day all sponsors, and if rooms are still open then normal congoers.
Yes, I am aware of the fact that not everyone can pay enough to go sponsor or supersponsor, but seeing the situation at hand, it is a far better solution then what we had this year.

Another option would be to prioritize reoccuring congoers, giving them a sort of thanks for coming every year again. The more years someone has attended the convention, the earlier he gets the chance to book. While this hinders first year con goers for getting a room in the main hotel, it would also be a viable solution to the problem at hand.


Those ideas are definitely nothing which is perfect, but seeing the problem of this year, as well as already having lost the chance to meet some friends at the convention because they are pissed about what had happened, refraining from going to it this year, I think it is far better to finally - sadly since seemingly needed - put in a prioritizing system. It definitely is a bad thing for the reputation of the convention if those things should reoccur, and while neither the Estrel, nor the staff could do anything about it, it won't stop people blaming them anyway.

MartinRJ:
I disagree.
Noone should have to pay more to secure a room.
That leads to an older, "elite" audience (people who are still studying or in school, can't afford to pay so much, while older, wealthy people who have good jobs, can easily afford to buy a super-sponsor upgrade).
And all the interested, younger furries would have to stay somewhere else.
That's simply not fair, and most likely not what the majority of the Eurofurence-visitors would want.
'nuff said.

Vector:

--- Quote from: MartinRJ on 17.01.2017, 18:19:47 ---That's simply not fair, and most likely not what the majority of the Eurofurence-visitors would want.

--- End quote ---

I agree.
Even if I go/fursuit to Eurofurence almost every year since 9 years now, I don't see why I should get priority on anyone else.
If I can't attend this year that's ok.

But I NEVER want again to waste 6 hours trying to register on phone/computer for getting nothing in the end. If the same booking system is planned for the next years, I'll never return to EF.

Nathalias:

--- Quote from: Vector on 17.01.2017, 18:46:25 ---But I NEVER want again to waste 6 hours trying to register on phone/computer for getting nothing in the end. If the same booking system is planned for the next years, I'll never return to EF.

--- End quote ---

Yep... I also wasted 6 hours for nothing. But the idea of this years system was ok. The Problem was that the booking service provider couldn't handle it. To make it worse they shut down the main link but you could still book via the mobile site... a lottery for the room would have been more fair.

I'm a Sponsor but I don't want to get priority that way. I don't think that would be right.

I hope they can get a better provider next year (or they can sort out their problems). For this year I hope I can get a room via the waiting list or I have to stay at a another hotel... won't be that much fun but I will go.

Kulze:
Therefore the idea of making it by recurring visitors as another solution. While getting priority to those paying more is mostly cringed upon (understandable definitely) it is still a more then valid system for such a huge event as the eurofurence. It costs a LOT to get the convention going, and even a lot more of dedicated time and sweat for those involved in it after all.

I'm curious to hear the thoughts about the repeating visitors idea thought, as it wasn't mentioned yet.

On another part: it will never be fully fair or perfect, someones always going to complain and hopefully next year the booking website will be able to process it properly. The first year for everyone working with furries is always an 'experience' as we are as passive about our conventions as normally only big events like concerts are. So the big question still is: What would be a viable, fair and doable solution to keep these years problems from arising again?

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