So, I’m sitting in class, listening to my professor lecture and taking notes on all the information that isn’t provided in the PowerPoint. Then, somehow my professor get’s to the point of talking about how he does not like linking event planning and Public Relations together. He made a statement similar to this; ‘Event Planning is not Public Relations. It’s hotels and hospitality.”
WOAH THERE. I’m going to have to beg to differ. Granite, Hotels host a lot of events and in event planning you must be hospitable. However, if event planning were solely up to hotels and hospitality, we wouldn’t have majority of the events we have today. I would like to see hotels plan all concerts, events like VitaminWater Unplugged, Reds Fest, WEBN Fireworks, etc. I am almost positive that hotels or hospitality plan none of these events.
Also, in this day and age people hire event planners for their weddings all the time! Yes, some of these planners may come with the venue, which could be a hotel. But there are EVENT PLANNING COMPANIES that specialize in weddings and special events.
I originally chose Public Relations as my major because I did some research and found that event planning fell under PR. I realize that event planning may not be a huge part of what makes PR, but it is a part none the less.
Things such as news releases, PR Planning Sheets, and Campaigns can all be applied to event planning. It’s always beneficial to write out a PR plan for an event, especially if it is open to the public. You must be able to identify the situation, your objectives for the event, the target publics for the event, the specific appeal you want to use, the core message of the event, and the communication channels you plan on using. All of these things are in a Planning sheet.
I would like to ask, If event planning is not a part of PR at all, then why does our university allow their students to participate in event planning internships for credit towards their degree in PR? And why did we just take up class time to converse over a case about Avon executing events to raise Breast Cancer Awareness? Just a thought.
I understand that my professor has many years of experience under his belt. However, I feel that he is very one-sided in his opinions and that if he had one bad experience with a side of PR that he turns completely against it. He has also expressed his dislike for working for PR firms. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so I’m going to keep my mind clear and create my own opinions from my own experiences. And I do believe that event planning IS a part of Public Relations, but it is also hotels and hospitality.
Leave a comment and share you’re opinion on your stance.
Rebecca Potzner 
I think it’s both and I think it depends what school you go to. Different schools will have it fall under different degrees. I think your professor is wrong in saying that it is definitely in no way part of PR. But I do agree that it falls under hotels and hospitality. I don’t think that means hotels exclusively though like you seem to view it. I see it more as venues and hospitality. Who knows!?
I guess I should’ve been a little more clear. I do think hotels and hospitality are a big part of event planning. but event planning is also a part of PR. So I don’t disagree. What I disagree on is the fact that my professor said that event planning is not PR at all.