AIPS criticizes VANOC for media hotel deposit demand
Publicat pe 1 noiembrie, 2009
In an open letter to VANOC Head of Press Operations, Mrs. Lucia Montanarella, AIPS President Gianni Merlo has criticized the organization for demanding that media using accommodation booked through VANOC be subjected to daily credit card deductions of up to CAN$100.
„It is unacceptable that journalists be required to have large sums of money deducted from their credit card each day,” Merlo said. „In some cases this could amount to well over $2,000.”
Describing the move as arrogant and an insult to the integrity of the media, the AIPS President demanded that VANOC cancel the requirement and give the media back its dignity.
AN OPEN LETTER TO: Mrs. Lucia Montanarella Director of Press Operations VANOC Dear Mrs. Montanarella, I am surprised by the arrogance demonstrated by VANOC in sending the following communiqué to media who have booked accommodation through VANOC for the Winter Games: “All accommodation locations will require a credit card at time of check-in. Please plan ahead and ensure that there is enough credit on your card for daily incidental holds that lodging facilities may authorize. Vancouver hotels will put a hold amount on your credit card to cover security deposits and incidentals. This hold will be released back to you once you check out of your room. The dollar amount that a hotel will hold on your credit card will vary depending on the facility, and can be up to a maximum of $100.00 per night for possible incidental charges during your stay. PLEASE NOTE: VANOC is not involved in arranging any security deposits. Security deposits are separate from nightly room rates.” I read this as an insult. Never before has the media been subjected to such arrogant and distrustful behavior from an organizing committee. It is really an insult to the integrity of the media, and as the head of the International Sports Press Association I wish to lodge an official protest on behalf of all media intending to cover the Vancouver Games. We cannot accept that you say that VANOC is not involved. Do you think that we are naïve? We have already had paid invoices sent by VANOC for the hotels and various accommodations options; tariffs that are already obviously much higher than in comparison to the prices normally charged. I believe that it is the case, that with the money already paid to VANOC for media accommodation, your organization has a large sum of money in the bank for which it receives interest. Now you inform us that we must come to Vancouver with enough money on our credit cards so the hotel can deduct up to $100 per day for incidentals, as if we were delinquent travellers? Is this actually legal? I do not believe so. It has never happened before that money is actually deducted daily from the credit card as a deposit. Yes, card imprints are given when checking into a hotel, but the fact that VANOC is now asking on behalf of the hotels for a daily deduction is completely unacceptable. We invite VANOC to cancel this nonsense and give the media back its dignity. Yours sincerely, Gianni Merlo, AIPS President