Force Majeure Event List in Hotel RFPs (Plain English Definition + Examples)

Definition

A force majeure event list is the explicit enumeration of events that excuse contractual non-performance — typically war, terrorism, civil unrest, natural disaster, government order, pandemic — included as a sub-clause inside the broader force majeure provision.

In European MICE sourcing, force majeure event list sits inside a broader workflow that includes the brief, the longlist, the shortlist, the contract negotiation, and the post-event reconciliation. Understanding it in isolation is not enough — what matters is how it interacts with the other levers a planner can pull. The definition above is the textbook version; the sections below explain how it actually behaves in real RFPs.

Why Force Majeure Event List matters

Post-COVID, the lists matter more than ever. A force majeure clause that does not explicitly include 'pandemic' or 'public health emergency' may not protect a planner if a government issues a non-binding advisory. Conversely, a hotel that explicitly excludes 'epidemics already known at contract signing' can refuse cancellation even if conditions worsen. Read the list, do not assume it.

Example

Planner books Madrid event March 2027. Force majeure list includes 'pandemic, epidemic, or public health emergency declared by national or supranational authority (WHO, EU, government)'. In Q1 2027 the WHO declares a respiratory pandemic and Spain limits gatherings to 50 — clear force majeure trigger. Same contract without 'WHO' included would have left the trigger ambiguous.

Where Force Majeure Event List appears in contracts

Always inside the force majeure clause. Modern hotel contracts have a primary list (acts of God, war, pandemic) and a 'catch-all' tail ('any other event beyond reasonable control') — the catch-all is where most litigation happens.

Related terms

Deeper reading