Well Done: The Connecttion Effect

Meet the properties addressing the need for meaningful bonds

As conversations about workplace burnout and loneliness grow and evolve, meeting planners continue to seek fresh approaches to support not only professional development, but also human connection.

Loneliness and social isolation remain major concerns since the conversation about a lack of connection among American adults peaked in 2023 after an advisory by the United States Surgeon General deemed loneliness a public health crisis. More recently, in the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Stress in America survey, nearly seven in 10 U.S. adults (69%) reported needing more emotional support in the past year than they received. In addition, 54% said they often or sometimes felt isolated, left out (50%) or lacking companionship (50%).

While these findings are concerning, they point to an opportunity for meeting professionals to continually strive for connection-centric events. Research supports the reality that connection is one of the strongest sources of meaning in people’s lives—both personally and professionally.

Here we examine two property case studies: one from Grand Wailea in Maui, Hawai‘i, and another from Pier Sixty-Six Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Leaders at each property detail the strategies that work best for their location and help ensure that attendees feel connected and well cared for during their visit.

Grand Wailea

At Grand Wailea, connection is approached as both an emotional outcome and a business metric. Christopher Anderson, executive director of sales, says the property looks beyond event attendance figures to understand if experiences are resonating.

“We look at both qualitative and quantitative indicators,” Anderson says. “Post-event surveys provide direct feedback on attendee satisfaction, networking opportunities and overall experience. We also evaluate participation rates, social engagement, repeat attendance and client retention.”

However, some of the strongest indicators of success emerge after attendees return home.

“Perhaps most importantly, we listen to the stories attendees share afterward,” he says. “When people continue talking about an experience months later, introduce colleagues to the destination or choose to return, we know we created meaningful connection.”

According to Anderson, the experiences that create that type of lasting impact are often ones rooted in a sense of place.

Cultural programming inspired by Hawaiian traditions continues to resonate, offering attendees access to experiences they cannot have elsewhere.

“One of my personal favorites is E Ala E, the sunrise ceremony that welcomes the day through Hawaiian chant, music and cultural storytelling,” he shares. “I make a point to participate in E Ala E during nearly every visit to Grand Wailea. It serves as a reminder that meaningful group experiences do not need to be elaborate to be impactful.”

That approach also shapes how Anderson frames the business value of social connection.

“People attend meetings for content, but they remember how the experience made them feel,” he says. Shared experiences strengthen relationships, reinforce organizational culture and create stronger engagement.

Anderson offers advice to other properties aiming to implement similar meaningful experiences: Resist replicating trends and focus on your unique differentiators.

“Start with authenticity and focus on experiences that only your destination can create,” he suggests. “When guests leave feeling they experienced something exclusive to that place, the impact is far greater and the memories last much longer.”

Pier Sixty-Six Resort

Brett Boering, vice president of sales and marketing at Pier Sixty-Six, says the programs that create the strongest response are often surprisingly simple. A recent group participated in a floral workshop using locally collected wildflowers—then returned to their rooms later in the evening to discover their flower arrangements waiting for them.

“It was a simple gesture, but it left people smiling and talking about the experience long afterward,” Boering says.

Other popular experiences have included programming through the resort’s IGFA Sportsfishing School, along with group wellness experiences at Zenova Spa & Wellness.

The common denominator across the property’s successful events is shared participation.

“They’re sharing something outside of their normal routine,” Boering says. “In a time when so many people are feeling disconnected, those kinds of shared experiences create opportunities for genuine conversation and connection that often don’t happen in a traditional meeting setting.”

He sees that connection translating directly into event outcomes.

“There is no better business case for investing in fun than seeing attendees engage more deeply with one another and with the event itself. Those shared experiences create lasting impressions, strengthen relationships and often become the reason people return year after year.”

His recommendation to planners and venues?

“Start with a clear idea of what you want guests to take away from the experience,” Boering advises. “People rarely leave talking about the schedule. They leave talking about the moments that made them feel something and helped them connect.”