Last Minute Christmas Party Bookings

This Christmas party season, the team at Office Christmas have been keeping a close eye on how and when our customers have been booking their festive corporate events, and we’ve encountered a new trend for 2011.

As November progresses, in previous years we would see a consistent decrease in the number of party enquiries and bookings week-by-week, however, this year has seen many more customers looking for last-minute deals for their office Christmas party. Each week in November has seen great leaps on enquiries compared to 2010, in some weeks by as much as 60% more.

So why are so many more customers waiting until much later in the year to book their office Christmas party? Office Christmas Product Manager Vicky Hogg explains, “From a financial standpoint, some companies are less keen to pay for something as far in advance as they previously would, and as a result have had to be more flexible with their choice of date as availability on the most popular nights has virtually disappeared. Groups that may have had their Christmas funding reduced or dropped altogether have put their hands into their own pockets to make up the difference, and as such the co-ordination of rounding up the funds has lengthened the time leading up to confirming a booking. The final key reason, and one which may surprise, is the relatively mild autumn and winter we’ve experience this year. Once the cold weather sets in, our minds invariably turn to the upcoming festive season, however it’s taken much longer for the biting cold to take grip of the UK this year which has caused a shift in the peak booking times than ever before.”

There are pros and cons to leaving your Christmas party booking to the last minute, and you’ll need to be flexible to make the most of the situation. Last minute bookings can seize upon special offers and discounts available, but you’ll need to move quick to secure the booking within a specific time frame and you might have to settle for a venue you’re unfamiliar with on a date you might not have preferred. However there are a great range of special offers across the broad spectrum of party options and can significantly reduce the cost of your Christmas party – or deliver a 5-star experience on a 3-star budget. You can maximise your deal-potential by being flexible with your dates and gathering together as many guests as possible to form one large group with maximum spending power. 

Check out the Office Christmas website to find the latest local deals and special offers for Christmas parties near you, and don't forget to sign up to our newsletter to hear of unmissable deals as and when they happen.