Smart Meetings | Page 143 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

Today’s business traveler is looking to get the most out of every trip. Company excursions, teambuilding activities and luxurious incentives have all built on the growing trend of bleisure travel. Meeting planners that are bringing their groups to Europe—especially for PCMA’s Convening EMEA conference in Vienna this September—have a new set of exclusive group cruise experiences to consider in Greece-based Celestyal Cruises’ “Authentic Encounters.”

Meeting Group Broker Amy Robb of Meetings Made Easy recommends cruises as incentive trips for high achievers. The flexibility of activities onboard and at each destination makes it easy to ensure that “everyone is happy.” Why Greece, though? Despite the massive impact of Covid on the European meetings and events industry, Allied Market Research calculates that the market will reach $123.9 billion by 2030. Events in Europe aren’t going away, and neither are incentives and company trips.

Learn More: Smart Chat Live: 2022 Incentive Trends Explained

The Authentic Encounters program includes 25 new excursions that expand on the Greek cruise line’s existing destinations across the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. They focus on local culture, nature exploration and art lessons. Each has a maximum capacity of anywhere from ten to 25 guests, keeping each experience intimate and special. Prices range from $85 per person for a buggy ride through Kusadasi to $206 per person for a home cooking lesson in Mykonos.

Four different cruises feature these new excursions. Three- or four-day trips like Iconic Aegean make fewer stops, while week-long trips like Eclectic Aegean will run planners a much higher cost. If food tours, nature trips and art lessons are up your group’s alley, here are some highlights from each cruise to give your group the best experience possible.

Iconic Aegean

This short cruise is best for groups that want a smaller sampling of Greece’s islands. In addition to large activities, there are six Authentic Encounters offered.

On the island of Rhodes, “A Kayak Adventure Discovering Pirate Coves” takes four to 16 guests on a trip around the island’s various natural caves, rock formations and beaches. Guests have the opportunity to swim and snorkel in clear blue waters. A guide will lead the way with information on island history, formations and marine life.

The bust of a woman carved into a marble arch in Kusadasi.

Ten to 20 guests can learn about the history of Kusadasi in “Ancient Civilizations with an Expert Archaeologist.” The city of Ephesus has been under the control of the Hellenes, the Romans and the Ottomans, creating a diverse patchwork of ancient buildings. The guide will bring groups to the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders; a Roman gymnasium complex; the Temple of Hadrian where a deified Roman emperor was worshiped; the Houses of Koressus, or Terrace Houses, where Ephesus’ aristocracy lived; the Celsus Library, once home to more than 12,000 scrolls; and the Greek Theater, where Saint Paul gave a speech to convert worshippers of Artemis.

The top of a white church in Santorini with blue bells in a pyramid shape

The island of Santorini is famous for its white washed houses and rolling hills. With “A Taste of Wine and Tradition,” guests can explore another facet of the destination. The tour takes ten to 15 adults on a walking tour through Pyrgos, the highest village on Santorini. Guests will pass by the iconic Cycladic architecture, the remains of a Venetian fortress and an 18th century monastery. There are stops at two different wineries. Venetsanos Winery is the oldest on the island and gives guests tastings of local vintages. Anhydrous Winery has a wide range of varietals that take advantage of the island’s unique viticulture, producing crisp whites and sweet wines.

Idyllic Aegean

This week-long cruise takes guests on a circuit of Greece’s biggest tourist destinations. Its length may be better suited to executive groups rather than a standard team-building trip. However you choose to travel, the 17 additional exclusive excursions will give you plenty to choose from.

Idyllic Aegean is the only cruise with Celestyal that stops at Milos. Of the four Authentic Encounters available, “A Geological Wonder 4×4 Adventure” gives guests the most thorough view of the island’s unique geology. Three to 12 guests ride on 4x4s to explore the volcanic island and its mining history. The tour starts at the Milos Mining Museum then moves to the Obsidian Collection of Zafeiris Vaos, where early Aegean tools are on display. The group moves through the Miloterranean Geo Walks, a series of seven paths; abandoned salt fields; the thermal waters of Kanava; the crater of Fyriplaka; and Aggeria, a bentonite mine.

Mykonos is another Idyllic Aegean exclusive. Artsy groups can experience “The Beautiful Art of Mosaic Making,” one of the earliest art forms still being practiced today. Guests can learn about the ancient and contemporary history of mosaics on the island, then learn the craft themselves from a local artisan. They can take their creations home with them after the lesson.

For a more relaxed tour, “Heraklion Food on Foot” takes guests to nine different restaurants to sample a wide variety of Cretan cuisine. Nine to 15 guests can Cretan herbal tea with thyme-infused honey, a variety of cheeses, olives, Greek custard pie, street food and Greek aperitifs. Many local restaurants still follow the original Mediterranean diet—It focuses on lean meat from poultry and fish, whole grains, legumes, olive oil and seasonal produce.

Eclectic Aegean

This cruise spends its seven days focusing on destinations on the European mainland with a stop in Santorini. Several of its destinations are exclusive to Eclectic Aegean, something to consider when deciding on the excursions your group would enjoy.

A pan of Turkish baklava, from a cruise excursion

Groups can satisfy their sweet tooth with “Turkish Baklava Making” in Istanbul. A group of ten to 15 explore a family bakery and five-story factory that has been making baklava since 1949. Master baklavaci of Istanbul, Nadir Gullu, leads the group in a demonstration and lesson on how to cook the rich dessert from phyllo dough, butter and pistachio filling. Afterwards, each guest will receive a sample of different pastries the bakery makes.

In Thessaloniki, ten to 15 guests can explore the “Rich History of a Famous Greek Winery” just outside of the city. A wine guide takes the group through production from harvest to aging at Ktima Gerovassiliou, one of the most reputed wine companies in Greece with more than 40 years of experience. The tour stops at the 71 hectare (175 acre) vineyard, fermenting tanks, bottling, aging and a wine museum. Guests can choose labels to taste or follow a curated tasting program. The winery grows international varieties such as Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon, and local varieties such as Malagausia, Assyrtiko, Limnio and Mavroudi.

Several platters of salad, meatballs and snacks from a cruise excursion cooking lesson

The city of Volos has three Authentic Encounters, each involving food. The most hands-on is “The Secrets of Pelion Cuisine,” where guests learn about Greek home cooking and hospitality at a homestead and garden. An instructor teaches the group how to grow their own backyard produce before beginning the cooking demonstration. On the menu is hot mountain tea or homemade sour cherry juice; meatballs in tomato sauce with local pasta; batzina, a zucchini pie from Thessaly; aromatic Greek yogurt dip; and tzatziki with herbs and seasonal salad.

Three Continents

The week-long cruise makes fewer stops than its counterparts, leaving guests with more time to relax on the ship. Destinations span from Europe to Asia to Africa, supplemented with four Authentic Encounters.

The Oenou Yi Winery on the island of Cyprus. People sit on chairs under tan umbrellas

Limassol offers 15 to 20 guests a trip to an old winemaking village in “Limassol Omodos—Oenou Yi Winery.” The Troodos mountain range of Cyprus creates a unique terroir that allows Ktima Vassiliades Oenou Yi Winery to cultivate a range of local wines. After spending some time in Omodos, guests can try varieties such as Zivania and Commandaria.

A row of colorfully decorated ceramic bowls

On the island of Rhodes, guests can learn another ancient Greek art with “Making Pottery Fit for the Gods.” Ten to 16 guests learn about the history of pottery in Greek culture—especially on Rhodes—and how it has evolved over thousands of years. At the Bonis Ceramic Factory, guests are taught techniques from local craftsmen. They’re rewarded for their hard work with Greek aperitifs and drinks.

In the ancient city of Athens, nine to 15 guests can explore local architecture and cuisine with “Athens Food on Foot.” A guide takes the group through the most famous monuments, such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis; the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; a Russian Orthodox Church; Panathinaiko Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympics; and a Roman temple of Zeus. Food stops are made at a traditional coffee shop, the central spice market, a bakery and the oldest distillery in Athens.

Whether your group is taking a trip after a conference or indulging in an incentive excursion, Celestyal Cruise’s Authentic Encounters can bring your group close to local culture across the Mediterranean Sea.

Meeting professionals are starting to rebook events in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, but continuing waves of Covid and cautious restrictions from some countries are resulting in a slow restart. This on-again-off-again dynamic was evident in the responses to an American Express Global Meetings and Events Forecast from last year that found 62% of respondents in the area expected attendee numbers to return to pre-pandemic numbers in the next one to two years.

One vivid example: Earlier this summer, Japan reopened its borders to up to 20,000 daily visitors with some restrictions. As the country is facing its seventh Covid wave, international travelers must be part of a guided package tour, led by an escort.

Responses by countries in the region have varied greatly. While countries like Japan have expressed hesitance to reopening, others have opened up completely to visitors and business events of all kinds.

State of Singaporean Events

Other Asian countries, such as Singapore, have had relatively minimal levels of regulation. But challenges remain. PCMA Convening Leaders 2022, scheduled to take place Sept. 7-9 in the country, following two months of virtual events, cancelled when logistics couldn’t be overcome.

“Limited budgets, increasing travel costs, intense workload and the extended border restrictions have proven to be a barrier in our efforts to deliver an impactful and meaningful Convening Asia Pacific for all stakeholders,” Florence Chua, managing director of PCMA APAC, wrote in an email to potential attendees.

A new date has yet to be announced. The last PCMA Convening Asia Pacific was held in Sydney in 2020. PCMA Convening Leaders 2021 hybrid event broadcast from a hub in Singapore in January, a last-minute shift from Houston, Texas, where it was scheduled in North America. In January of 2022, the signature event was held at CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas.

Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS), announced it will continue its 2022 gatherings and beyond.

“After two challenging years, the MICE and Events industry finds itself at a critical phase in our journey towards recovery,” Richard Ireland, president of SACEOS, said in a statement. “2022 needs to see a move towards a more normalized environment and we are hopeful that with the government’s commitment towards living with Covid as an endemic, we are firmly on that pathway. While we all have a long way to go, I believe we can achieve great things if we work together as a MICE community.”

A Case Study in Malaysia

The 45th International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress, set to be held in Penang, Malaysia, held every five years, has largely missed out on the hiccups of other attempts to gather during that period. The 44th edition of IAA World Congress was held February 2019 in Kochi, India, long before the public knew the word “Covid.”

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) reported a surge in demand for in-person events—127 global meetings booked from 2022 to 2024—since Malaysia reopened in April. Since then, KLCC has hosted nearly 300 in-person events that amounted to roughly 200,000 attendees. “The ease of doing business in Malaysia, its experienced supply chain and the widespread use and proficiency of English are among the primary factors attracting global events to the country,” the report read.

Malaysian Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin has hinted at reinstating stricter pandemic enforcement, pointing to the decline of Covid compliance. That may or may not impact IAA World Congress in 2024.

Thompson Austin

One of the meeting spaces in Thompson Austin. There are floor-to-ceiling windows and simple tables and chairs

Newly opened Thompson Austin is tailored to the needs of meetings and events professionals. It offers luxury accommodations in 212 guest rooms and 17 residences in the middle of Austin’s downtown entertainment district.

Thompson Austin has more than 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space between one ballroom, four boardrooms and a fourth-floor restaurant. The indoor venues each have spacious 20-foot ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows showing off downtown Austin. Sleek dark tones maintain the fresh, modern feeling throughout the hotel.

The property boasts the latest in guest amenities. The full-floor fitness center is complemented by a virtual sports simulator. A skyline pool and private cabanas are served by Wax Myrtle’s, an all-day restaurant and bar. Downstairs, The Coffee Bar hosts community worktables for locals and guests. The Diner Bar and The Grey Market riff on traditional Southern dining experiences with a full-service restaurant and lunch counter.

Austin Convention Center is only a three-minute walk away from Thompson Austin. Blues and R&B-focused Antone’s Nightclub is on the way with plenty of bars and entertainment spots within a few blocks. You and your attendees will have a hard time feeling bored in downtown Austin.

Origin Austin

A render of the lobby of Origin Austin. A neon sign reads "Origin" above a flyer shelf. A yellow sectional with padded armchairs is off to the side

Opened at the end of June, Origin Austin is just one of four new properties under the Origin Hotels brand. The Mueller neighborhood, north of downtown is now home to the five-story hotel with 120 guest rooms and suites. Its location and services cater towards small groups and families looking for local charm.

With 799 sq. ft. of event space, Origin Austin’s Flight Room can accommodate up to 49 guests for small to mid-sized meetings. For more casual affairs, the hotel’s dog-friendly restaurant Blue Lacy can handle 121 guests with more than 1,800 sq. ft. of space. It combines remixed comfort food with a chic mid-century modern indoor and outdoor seating.

Origin Austin offers unique amenities for a variety of guests. In addition to a fitness center, guests can have prAna yoga mats and Peloton bikes delivered to their rooms. Travelers with pets can purchase Origin’s Pup Package. Families with young children can use the Kids’ Adventure Kit to turn the hotel room floor into an indoor camping experience.

Upcoming properties to Origin Hotels’ lineup include 91-room Origin Baton Rouge near Louisiana State University coming spring 2023; 123-room Origin Atlanta close to Georgia State University in summer 2023; and 118-room Origin Kansas City on the Missouri River in winter 2023. Each will incorporate elements of local culture and history and are managed by Charlestowne Hotels with Thrash Group.

Casa de Campo Resort & Villas

The Premier Presidential Suite at Casa de Campo. Tan and cream furniture is accented with teal decorations

The first resort in the Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo Resort & Villas announced an exclusive Premier Club coming this December. It will offer guests 58 new suites with enhanced amenities, including 53 Premier Junior suites, four Premier suites and one multi-bedroom Premier Presidential Suite.

Premier Club guests have access to the Club Lounge Bar after privately checking into the Premier Club Lounge. They can hop into a private golf cart, ask for room service from their own concierge service or order from a customized aromatherapy menu. Suites are outfitted with ocean views from private balconies, 55 or 65-inch smart TVs with international cable and streaming channels, full-sized wet bars and gourmet coffee and tea. Guests can choose between suites with two king beds, two double beds or one king bed.

When it comes to large families, dignitaries or high-profile guests with security, the Premier Presidential Suite has the room and amenities to accommodate. The three-bedroom apartment has a private office area, a full kitchen with a staff entrance, a living room and the option to add a second floor. The suite has room for in-room gatherings of up to 20 people.

Casa de Campo has a total of 24,500 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space across two conference centers, banquet and reception areas, outdoor gathering space and more. The resort offers an array of activities from sports to shopping to spas.

Hotel Per La

A patio room at Hotel Per La. A floral couch is to the left of a sliding door leading to a patio

Lifestyle property Hotel Per La in Los Angeles started a soft opening early this July. With its grand opening in September, all 241 guest rooms and 10,000 sq. ft. of event space will be open to the public for reservations. With venues like The Orpheum Theatre, The Regent and Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hotel Per La is positioned for an event full of unique experiences.

The hotel finds its home in the downtown Giannini Building, once the site of the Bank of Italy. The 12-story building was built in 1922 and hosted NoMad Hotel before its repositioning. Hotel Per La takes inspiration from the building’s Italian roots in its décor and color palettes.

A rooftop bar and pool space with a view of the Los Angeles skyline is available for guests staying in the summer. A restaurant and café on the ground floor will launch with the grand opening in September and will include community-driven food and beverage concepts.

Between the Historic Core, Fashion District and Little Tokyo, Hotel Per La offers guests a walkable Los Angeles experience. In addition to the upcoming hotel restaurant, a wide variety of restaurants are within a few blocks of the property. Plenty of clothing boutiques, museums and theaters are also close at hand.

Event marketers are ramping up in-person events with a fresh perspective provided by two years of virtual meetings and the proliferation of tech specifically focused on video conferencing.

However, while some meeting professionals are itching to get back to in-person events, some organizations have grown quite fond of the reach and data-enabled by virtual meeting experiences. The extension of virtual content delivery methods creates a unique opportunity for planners with new methods to boost engagement among attendees regardless of their location. Smart Meetings talked to industry experts for tips on how to produce meaningful experiences for everyone on the registration list.

Make it Tangible

One of the root causes for virtual attendees feeling a loss of connection and interest is a lack of physical participation throughout the experience. Adrian Si, director of marketing strategy at ASV, suggests event planners create a kit that can be sent to virtual attendees ahead of time to prevent them from feeling like they’re missing out on what’s happening on-site.

Creating a tangible experience can also include fun and games with a competitive twist, Si explained. While creating opportunities for virtual and in-person attendees to interact with each other has been a hurdle for some event organizers, contests, such as trivia, allow both audiences to compete together for actual prizes. “It makes them feel like they’re part of the process,” Si says.

Create a Dedicated Experience

A dedicated online agenda, offering virtual participants features that wouldn’t be available to in-person attendees, can be elevated through a screen. Polls and surveys can be conducted easily online with the results displayed to both audiences.

Administering such features can be an effective method of keeping virtual attendees engaged following a keynote speaker or panel discussion. Event organizers can also create virtual breakout rooms to facilitate a more entertaining break for virtual attendees who can’t mingle with their cohort in between presentations like their in-person counterparts.

Offer Content On-demand

Many events feature a slew of workshops for in-person attendees to choose from, but that can lead to missed opportunities for companies to convey their content to online audiences. Offering on-demand content allows virtual attendees access to all the information offered at an event.

But virtual workshops and webinars, aren’t the only content that can be offered with an on-demand format.

Event planners seeking ways to keep virtual attendees from feeling like they’re missing out on what’s happening locally can build virtual displays similar to those that live attendees would see at an in-person event.

This includes viewing videos with product information or participating in an activity to create some sort of take-away that a virtual attendee would otherwise miss out on.

Virtual attendees have many options for events to choose from. But features such as these help to ensure they feel like they enjoyed the full experience and increase the likelihood that the same attendee would select another event produced by the same company in the future.

Know What Your Attendees Want—and What They Don’t

A “return on emotion” or ROE is the business metric used by Liz Lathan, co-founder of Haute Companies and The Community Factory. Lathan says that it’s crucial to create an environment for action that will ultimately drive the pipeline for revenue.

“You have to have content they want to be a part of,” Lathan explains, adding that the metric based on five emotions is “the blueprint for a program that people will want join.”

The blueprint, referred to as “H.A.A.A.M.,” focuses on creating an event that helps attendees feel hopeful, a sense of adventure, a feeling of acceptance, all while taking an active role and feeling motivated to put it all into action.

While most companies tend to focus on creating an adventure for attendees that’s explicitly focused on their content, “this is incorrect,” Lathan explains, noting that there’s added benefit to focusing on the adventure and experience for attendees, as opposed to focusing on how to spin content.

This misstep often takes the form of a panel discussion. “A panel is not a two-way conversation,” Lathan says, adding that many attendees are seeking networking opportunities at events. “If I’m only meeting people over alcohol at 5 p.m., I’m not meeting my full objective.”

To alleviate this issue, Lathan suggests that organizers create small breakout rooms, both virtually and in-person, that facilitate the opportunity for small conversations among attendees rather than forcing attendees to watch a small group of people discuss different topics.

Leverage CSR to Create a Sense of Community

Today’s attendees expect more from companies. Exercising some level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) can go a long way in creating a more meaningful and engaging experience during events.

So many consumers, especially younger consumers, are really interested in knowing whether companies are doing the right thing initially, but also whether they’re following through. “They’re not just talking about it—they’re doing it,” Si adds.

Organizers of in-person events have ample opportunity to use different activities focused on CSR to create a connection between attendees and the local community, but virtual events can harness those very same benefits.

“You can bring CSR in through the adventure part and really connect people to it,” Lathan says. One way to accomplish a win-win is through partnerships with conservation groups, creating events that raise funds.

Lathan organized one such event with a nonprofit focused on conservation of marine apex predators (killer whales) called Fins Attached. The event was made available to in-person attendees as well as those who joined remote.

A subversive research vessel in the Pacific Ocean facilitated an underwater shark deck adventure that was shared live via a camera feed with proceeds from the event going toward conservation research.

“Now you have your virtual audience doing a water-based experience and your in-person audience doing a water-based experience and it’s a beautiful marriage,” Lathan says.

There’s nothing better than coming home from work and your dog greeting you at the front door. But as life returns to normal, and travel begins to pick up again, so many people are having to leave their four-legged friends at home as they venture back into the outside world.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, one in five U.S. households adopted a new cat or dog over the pandemic, and now, 22% of those owners worry about how their pets will impact their ability to travel. In honor of August being National Dog Month, we have rounded up some of the most pet-friendly hotels to host your meetings at and please your pet-owner attendees.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Woman sitting at desk with laptop, cuddling with dog in lap.

With 80 locations scattered throughout more than 55 cities, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants are some of the most pet-friendly out there. Their official policy states “if your pet fits through the door, we’ll welcome them in.” That means no weight restrictions, no extra fees and no limit on the number of pets allowed. For August, three of their locations are offering special cuddle breaks for groups while donating the some of the profits to local shelters. These special meeting breaks allow attendees to recharge, reenergize and go back into their meetings with a more productive mindset.

The Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville

The Aertson Hotel is donating $350 to the Nashville Humane Association, an organization working to protect the well-being of animals, for every puppy meeting break booked. So enjoy the 6,500 sq. ft. of meeting space while reaping all of the benefits a 30-minute puppy break brings.

The Kimpton Palomar in Philadelphia

Offering 30-minute meeting breaks filled with adoptable dogs from Lulu’s Rescue and a $175 donation to the shelter, The Palomar Hotels’ 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space is the perfect place to host your next meeting while celebrating National Dog Month.

The Kimpton Monaco in Denver

Take an hour break from the 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting space to play with puppies from the Lifeline Puppy Rescue, a local no-kill shelter that rescues dogs from five states in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Virgin Hotels

Goldendoodle dog is jumping up at the reception desk.

Virgin Hotels launched in 2010 and has since opened five U.S. locations with more planned in the coming future. Similar to Kimpton Hotels, they welcome all pets with no fees and no weight or breed restrictions. When you bring your pet to a Virgin Hotel, they receive a Virgin Hotel bandana, food and water bowls and a pet bed. Whether you stay at the Las Vegas location, with 130,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, or the Dallas location, with easy access to nearby dog parks, Virgin Hotels are some of the best places for your dog-loving meeting attendees to stay and work at.

Loews Hotels

Women in robe feeding her dog.

There are 26 Loews Hotels scattered throughout the United States and Canada and they are some of the best places to host a meeting while ensuring your pet has an equally great experience. All Loews Hotels provide pet treats, bowls and placemats, and offer other special perks like room service menus for cats and dogs, recommendations for local pet-friendly restaurants and more.

They allow two pets per room, with up-to-date vaccinations and an additional fee ranging from $50-$200 per stay. People get the best of both worlds when staying at the Loews Hotels, whether that be at one of the two Chicago locations with over 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space each, or the Loews Royal Pacific Resort, the largest meeting hotel at Universal Orlando.

Continue the Celebrations…

Dog sitting at table with bowl and utensils.

Hotels are constantly coming up with new ways to celebrate the animals that make our lives so special. Dogs can enjoy their own “Yappy Hour” menu at The Clancy, Autograph Collection in San Francisco, the number one dog-friendly city in the country or stay at the Hilton Sedona Resort in Bell Rock, which offers a full-course menu for dogs to eat alongside their owners on the pet-friendly patio. These hotels, along with many others, recognize the importance and joy dogs bring to our lives daily.

Read for more pet-friendly hotels.

Event planners and marketers looking to produce engaging experiences while reducing their overall carbon footprint can now do so in the heart of paradise: Hawaii.

Hawaii Convention Center (HCC) is launching a first-of-its-kind program that ties restoring native trees to the island during meetings—for both in-person and virtual attendees. The program enables individual attendees to select and plant endemic and native trees as part of the center’s conservation program, Hoomalo—which translates to “to conserve or manage wisely.”

The Hoomaluo conservation program was made possible through a partnership with the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, which has led the way in reforesting efforts by replenishing 400,000 endemic and native trees on the islands of Oahu and the Island of Hawaii. However, much work remains to be done as less than 10% of Hawaii’s indigenous forests remain. The convention center has committed to planting more than one million trees across the state.

“The Hawaii Convention Center’s industry-leading environmental practices help reduce the impact of our meetings and events, and provide organizers and attendees with customized, turnkey options to protect our natural resources right here in Hawaii,” says Teri Orton, general manager of the Hawaii Convention Center.

Putting Sustainability in Action

While the convention center offers event planners ample room to design events centered around the needs and goals of its guests in the state-of-the-art LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold facility, the new sustainability program also creates the opportunity for companies to engage in activities that embrace corporate social responsibility (CSR) by benefiting the local community and the Hawaiian Islands as a whole.

The convention center’s new sustainability program is aligned with the goals set forth by the Hawaii Tourism Authority of generating environmental restoration to the state while elevating Hawaiian culture and giving local residents a greater voice in the state’s future tourism.

Event planners have several options for creating a meaningful and memorable experience in the form of planting their very own legacy tree in a small group setting with guidance from a staff dedicated to providing personalized service that cater to small group events.

Planners can select from various plans including a horseback planter’s tour taking attendees through Hawaii’s historic Gunstock Ranch or take an off-road tour at Gunstock, exploring historic sites dating back to WWII, hidden caves and beautiful views.

Attendees can also choose to plant their Hawaiian Legacy Tree during a hike through Gunstock Ranch while enjoying the pristine surroundings of Oahu, a more family-friendly option.

In addition, the convention center offers several guides to assist planners and guests with maintaining efforts of sustainability to create and carry out greener events through zero waste, water conservation and limiting power consumption. Event planners are also given access to exclusive turnkey environmental programs to enhance the experience of their attendees while bringing them closer to the local community.

The Hoomaluo conservation program also includes a recycling guide to help planners execute best practices for selecting items that can be recycled or reused following an event, including items used for food packaging to informational materials such as flyers and brochures.

A Legacy Partnership

Located in the heart of Honolulu’s business district on Kalakaua Avenue, 1.1 million-square-foot Hawaii Convention Center (HCC) is just a stone’s throw from and Oahu’s 30,000 hotel rooms fronted by one of the state’s beautiful beaches. It is also a direct connection to a sustainable event.

HCC has partnered with Legacy Carbon, a carbon offset project geared towards helping businesses in Hawaii achieve carbon neutrality. Legacy Carbon has planted over 500,000 tress in Hawaii to date, earning certification from the Switzerland-based Gold Standard Foundation, which has set the most rigorous standards for carbon offsets in the world.

Read More: Green Meeting Resource Guide

And when it’s all over, event planners and attendees can say goodbye knowing that what they leave behind will benefit the local community. Different types of event displays, such as furniture and foam core boards are repurposed and donated to local organizations to aid those in need, along with tradeshow giveaways that are donated to various service organizations and local schools.

HCC is a recognized leader in the state for advancing energy efficient and sustainable practices and was among 20 businesses in Hawaii to receive the Hawaii Green Business Program award in 2020 for advancing the state’s sustainability goals.

Stephanie Lapsley

A portrait of Stephanie Lapsley. She is a blonde white woman with a thick gold necklace and dark jacket

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, in Oregon appointed Lapsley director of sales and marketing. Most recently, she was director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, in Hawaii. Lapsley brings two decades of luxury hotel sales leadership experience to her new position. She has also held similar roles for major brands in San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles, such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott Bonvoy.

Kate Patay, CPCE

A portrait of Kate Patay. She is a white woman with long highlighted hair and a sleeveless turtleneck blouse

The destination marketing company Terramar Destinations welcomed Patay to the team as its director of engagement for its United States DMC offices in California’s San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma. Previously, Patay was founder of and chief strategist for Patay Consulting, and she has also been a Smart Ambassador for Smart Meetings, contributing regularly to our online and print magazine with the latest in “Smart Style.” She has been an international leader in events for over a decade and has become an internationally sought-after speaker.

Richard Romane

A portrait of Richard Romane. He is a bald white man with a dark suit jacket

Romane is now general manager of Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, the largest hotel in Arizona with over 110,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. A 25-year hospitality veteran, Romane has held roles in sales, marketing and resident and hotel management. Romane was previously director of sales and marketing and resort manager of JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

Megan Martin, CMP, DES, MPA

A portrait of Megan Martin. She is a white woman with long dark hair, a pearl necklace and a dark blue blouse

Digital events and engagement platform JUNO appointed Martin director of engagement. Martin is an award-winning event strategy leader with 15 years of experience in events and meetings management. She was most recently JUNO’s account executive, after serving as associate director of conferences for International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Martin has also been senior meeting manager for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Robin Flanz

A black and white portrait of Robin Flanz. He is a white man with dark hair, a stubble beard and a dark suit jacket

Flanz is now director of sales and marketing at Park Hyatt New York. Flanz brings 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality sales and has held roles in revenue management. Most recently, he was director of marketing and commerce at Mandarin Oriental, Canouan, on the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a country in the Caribbean. Flanz has served in leadership roles at Langham Hospitality Group, The Watergate Hotel in Washington, Hyatt Boston Harbor Hotel and several more.

Marie J. Huston

A portrait of Marie J. Huston. She is a blonde white woman with a patterned pink scarf and blue jacket

Destination Colorado welcomed Huston as its new association manager. She recently served as senior group sales manager for YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park, Colorado. For over 30 years Huston has been a leader in hospitality and food and beverage management. She has been sales manager for Grand Vista Hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado, and The Inn at Silvercreek in Granby, Colorado, and owned an operated Carlos & Maria’s Mexican Restaurant in Winter Park, Colorado, with her husband for 12 years.

Isabella Marciante

A portrait of Isabella Marciante. She is a blonde woman with a green blouse and red lipstick

Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans appointed Marciante marketing and communications manager. Marciante was previously communications manager at Business Council of New Orleans and is currently a student at University of New Orleans working toward a Master of Business Administration.

Anthony Moody

A portrait of Anthony Moody. He is an older white man with combed hair, a stubbled beard and a patterned suit

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Park City – The Yarrow in Utah appointed Moody general manager. Moody most recently held the role of general manager of The Farnam, Autograph Collection by Marriott in Omaha, Nebraska, opening the luxury boutique hotel in 2020. He brings more than 25 years of hospitality experience and has been a leader at Hammons Hotels and Resorts throughout the Midwest and Real Hospitality Group.

Brent Pope

A portrait of Brent Pope. He is a tan man with greying combed hair and a grey suit jacket

Pope is now general manager of The Bradley Hotel, a recently opened property in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Most recently, he was general manager of Courtyard and Fairfield properties in Noblesville, Indiana, for Midwest Hospitality Group. A 20-year hospitality veteran, Pope has also been general manager of Emerald Greens Condo Resort in Tampa, Florida, a hotel ranked No. 1 in the city by TripAdvisor during his tenure.

Ramel Kelly

A portrait of Ramel Kelly. She is a black woman with long wavy hair and a black blouse

Corporate event planning company PRA appointed Kelly global sales director. Previously, Kelly was executive director of national accounts, Northeast, for Loews Hotels. For the last 15 years, she has been a senior sales leader at multiple hospitality brands, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Dolce Hotels & Resorts.

Danielle Caswell

A portrait of Danielle Caswell. She is a white woman with long wavy hair and a light sweater

Caswell is now group sales manager for Viewline Resort Snowmass in Colorado. She previously served as senior group sales manager for Otis Hotel, Autograph Collection, in Austin, Texas. With a decade of experience in hotel group sales, Caswell has held roles at Hyatt Regency luxury properties throughout Greater Austin, Texas.

Percy Brandon

A portrait of Percy Brandon. He is an older man with gelled black hair, a plaid grey suit and a red tie

The Allison Inn & Spa in Newburg, Oregon, appointed Brandon general manager. Brandon most recently served 21 years as general manager of Vintners Resort in Sonoma County, California. Now known throughout the Sonoma community as “the man who celebrates everything,” Brandon transformed what was once Vintners Inn into Vintners Resort, expanding and renovating its rooms, venues, restaurants and spa.

Chris Caldwell

A portrait of Chris Caldwell. He is a white man with light combed hair and a dark collared shirt

The hospitality, events and restaurants group Barton G. appointed Caldwell president of events, experiential marketing and development. He brings years of agency, property and global industry experience to his new role, having worked with clients at FedEx, Visa, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mercedes, NFL, NBA, PGA TOUR and more.

Michelle Kemp

A portrait of Michelle Kemp. She is a white woman with long red hair and a pink suit jacket

ExCel London in the United Kingdom appointed Kemp director of marketing and communication. Kemp has been in marketing and event production for over two decades, most recently working for The ACC Liverpool Group across conference, exhibition, sport and entertainment markets. She has also been a marketing leader at Marks & Spencer and The Jockey Club, both headquartered in London.

Eric Grimm

A portrait of Eric Grimm. He is a white man with combed brown hair and a stubbled beard

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, welcomed Grimm as resort manager. Most recently, Grimm was general manager of Sheraton Detroit Metro Airport. He also served as director of operations for four years at St. Kate Hotel and Mason Street Grill in Milwaukee and, in his decade of hospitality experience, he has held hotel management roles at Aimbridge Hospitality, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts and more.

Gun violence in the United States is, unfortunately, a reality every event planner must confront. The number of people killed in mass shootings has risen from 272 in 2014 to 692 in 2021. As of July 4, 2022, there have been 320 mass shooting deaths already this year.

With the recent Highland Park mass shooting, people are anxious about event safety. The burden is on planners to make attendees feel safe and secure. We asked Mark Herrera, director of safety and security for International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), for strategies to improve security at events in light of these ominous statistics.

illustration of all mass shootings that have taken place in 2022, as of July

Assess Security Requirements

Not every event is created equal. Several factors contribute to how much security a specific event needs. These include:

Event type: Low energy events like business conferences or seminars aren’t likely to create risk. High energy events like political conferences, parties or rallies can push people to take drastic actions, requiring a more robust security detail.
Geographical location: Different areas have different gun laws and cultures. An event in an open-carry state may need more security than an event where guns are strictly regulated.
Number of attendees: The more people that are at an event, the more crowd control and de-escalation security staff will have to perform.

Train for the Worst Case

During the Covid pandemic, a lot of security resources were diverted to enforce health and safety measures like masking and social distancing, leaving physical and cyber security vulnerable. Plus, when events were completely suspended, many of the tenured staff that were the most knowledgeable took early retirements or quit, leaving many venues with fewer, less experienced staff. Without staff devoted to event security, it is much easier for bad actors to slip by.

When looking for security or venues, seek out teams with engaged staff. Their training should be reinforced over multiple sessions, including webinars, lectures and tabletop simulations. Herrera recommends using every available resource—he brings in local, state and federal officials to close any gaps in training and utilizes FEMA’s free online security training.

Employ a Guest Service Approach

Herrera has hands-on experience running security for every kind of venue. He has also given 413 training sessions on de-escalation strategies, situational awareness, risk mitigation and crowd management. These security techniques and resources are what he has found to produce the best results in event security.

Staff should be able to identify anomalous behavior in a crowd, activities that might indicate someone has negative intentions. How meeting representatives go about interjecting, diffusing and removing bad actors can make all the difference. Herrera recommends the “guest service approach” when engaging with uncooperative or disruptive attendees. He teaches staff to give them the best customer service possible. If the guest is intending to do harm, this shows that staff have an eye on them, diverting them away from the event. If the guest is innocent, they still receive a good customer service experience.

“It really takes the air out of the balloon when I interject using the guest service approach if someone has ill intent.”

– Mark Herrera, Director of Safety and Security for International Association of Venue Managers

Look for Near Misses

To recognize shady behavior, staff need to understand the modern threat environment. Covid has made countless people feel powerless to prevent financial struggles, family deaths and job loss. Herrera says this has accelerated the pattern of “homegrown violent extremists”—lone wolves, emotionally distressed people and criminal actors. They target public assembly venues with large crowds to exploit the media coverage that results from attacks. Knowing what potential threats are looking for in a target is crucial to preventing tragedy, he says.

Herrera uses a “Near Miss Program” to encourage his staff to identify and discuss any potential risks in security and customer service. They submit reports to him, which he uses to build a guide on how to respond to any situation. This makes all staff aware of potential threats and builds a culture of trust and security.

Questions You Can Ask

It is up to you as the event planner to make sure the venue you choose has proper security measures in place. When assessing a venue, here are some questions Herrera recommends you ask:

What does the venue incident response plan look like?
- How often do staff practice this plan?
- Does it account for the latest health and safety measures?
What kinds of training do staff undergo?
- When was it last completed?
- Is that all the possible training your staff has access to?
- Is your staff trained in guest service de-escalation? Health and safety measures?
What technologies do you use to ensure the physical and cybersecurity of the event?
How is everyone at the event involved in assessing risk?

Event security is not something to be taken lightly. With the right staff, training and knowledge, risks can be identified and mitigated to keep your attendees safe.

Over the last two years, the economy extended-stay hotel market has been outperforming all other segments, said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. With this outperformance, it’s no wonder why Wyndham is launching Echo—an acronym for Economy Hotel Opportunity—its economy extended-stay brand in 2023.

“Demand for these accommodations only continues to climb—both from guests and developers alike—making now the right time for Wyndham, the definitive leader in the economy segment, to bring our experience and expertise to this high-potential space,” Ballotti said in a press release by the company. A resilient market, the segments U.S. RevPAR grew 8% during the pandemic while the rest of the industry declined 17%, the press release said.

According to Hotel Tech Report, which uses statistics from organizations such as American Hotel & Lodging Association and Statista, 833 hotels opened in the United States, 29% of which were extended-stay properties.

Wyndham has been working on Echo since summer 2021. Its prototype is a 124-room property featuring your standard 300-square-foot studio with a kitchenette and public spaces, like a lobby and fitness center. Echo will also feature a guest laundry room, designed to limit labor needs, according to Ballotti. The project is scheduled to develop 50 Echo hotels.

Other hospitality companies have made extended stays not just a sector of their brand, but the whole brand. Placemakr, formerly WhyHotel, started as a pop-up in 2017 but later became a hotel brand with long-term plans designed for long-term stays.

According to Jason Fudin, Placemakr’s cofounder and CEO, the company plans to expand by acquiring $750 million in real estate in the next 18 to 24 months, with its first being PlaceMakr Premier SoBro, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, known for its many brands including its extended-stay properties, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, is scheduled to open 48 new properties across the Americas in 16 new destinations, including Quebec, Canada; Panama City Beach, Florida; Sacramento, California; and Virginia Beach, Virginia, this year and in 2023. Hyatt Place and Hyatt House will comprise 6,400 of the rooms planned by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Representatives of Hyatt Place and Hyatt House said these two brands led occupancy rates across all Hyatt brands in all regions, at 65.1% at the end of 2021.

“The Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands continue to perform incredibly well, especially among leisure transient guests, with leisure destinations commanding strong ADR,” Hyatt senior vice president Jim Tierney said. “With an eye toward recovery, we believe these hotels will remain attractive to leisure guests thanks to distribution, value and amenities.”

Marriott International has been in the extended-stay game with its TownePlace Suites and Residence Inn. In 2019, Marriott launched Homes & Villas, its rental platform company, with more than 55,000 homes across the globe, some of which have up to 15 rooms.

In a 2017 white paper, “Demand for Extended Stay,” by BTN Group Content Solutions and Extended Stay America, Mark Skinner, a partner with the Atlanta-based hotel investment advisory firm Highland Group, said about 30,000 extended-stay hotel rooms opened between mid-2016 and mid-2017.

Even with the addition of 80,000 new rooms four years prior, extended-stay occupancy remained at 76-77%. This supply growth while maintaining high occupancy allowed extended-stay properties to increase ADR faster than all other hotel segments, he said.

Extended Stays and Covid

According to The Highland Group, the hotel industry experienced a 35.7% decrease in demand and a 49.4% decrease in revenue in 2020. Extended-stay hotels, however, only had a 15.8% drop in demand and a 30.8% drop in revenue that same year. Economy extended-stays saw the least reduction, at 0.6% in demand and 3.1% in revenue.

Covid may’ve hit the hospitality market badly, but the appeal of the extended stay is why it outperformed during that tumultuous time. “Extended-stay hotels over the last 20-plus years have achieved occupancy ranging from 10-14% above the overall hotel industry. The RevPAR trends from year to year are similar over these 20 years. The difference came in 2020, when extended stays lost far less revenue than traditional hotels,” Skinner said.

During Covid, extended stays served as a safe place for those on the frontline. “[Extended stays] are conducive to social distancing, so there was a shift toward extended-stay hotels, especially among first responders and health-care professionals that traveled the country to help out areas that had high [cases of] Covid.”

They also worked well as places to stay for those who spent much of their pre-Covid days around those most vulnerable. “Imagine you were living in a household that was multigenerational [at the time] Covid hit, you may not have felt safe coming back from work with older and very young people in the house because they were more susceptible,” he said. “Some families had members that needed to move out of their household and find temporary accommodation. The extended stay is the ideal alternative for that.”

And there was the equally attractive low cost. “[There is] the lower price point; there were relatively few employees on-site, so your personal contact was limited. You could prepare all your meals in the rooms; they all have kitchens,” Skinner said.

“At lower price point [hotels], especially, there was a significant residential component to the guest mix,” he added, “residential component” meaning certain guests had a longer than average length of stay. “People who are essentially living there are not affected by changes in travel because that’s not why they’re there.”

Beyond Covid, it’s not difficult to see why hotels are expanding their extended stays—it’s that sweet ROI, baby. “The investment returns [of extended stays] tend to be higher than traditional hotels of comparable price,” Skinner said.

This greater investment return is something planners can see as well if they go extended. Skinner continued: “If [groups] stay in extended-stay hotels, they tend to stay in mid to upper price points; if they have an event that lasts several days, extended stays could be a less expensive and better equipped alternative to a traditional hotel.”

Editor’s note: This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself.

Monkeypox Rates Rise But Still Not a Pandemic

As of July 14, 359 confirmed orthopoxvirus/monkeypox cases—a designation established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—have been identified in New York, according to a statement during New York City’s Health Department virtual press conference.

Here is the breakdown: 336 in New York City, 12 in Westchester County, four in Suffolk County, two in Nassau County, one in Sullivan County, one in Chemung County, one in Rockland County, one in Erie County and one in St. Lawrence County.

Officials on the call expect the number to rise and characterize the bulk of the infections as being in the LGBTQ community. For this reason, State and City Health officials are making vaccines available to the community as well as to others in high-risk categories.

It is important to note that the CDC and the World Health Organization have not designated monkeypox as approaching levels designated as “pandemic.”

The sharp uptick in monkeypox infection rates in large cities accompanied a CDC report that infections can be fomite-related, which means they can occur from transmission through towels and linens.

American Hotel and Lodging Association offers a monkeypox fact sheet for hotels which states that “at this time, AHLA is not advising any specific changes in any policy or recommendations. Our team will continue to monitor the situation.”

The AHLA Safe Stay program has monitored Covid, as well as the rise of monkeypox, and we will keep you up-to-date on recommendations for traveling groups.

Bottom line for meeting planners: Short-haul flights are not a likely source for the spread of monkeypox. Neither is bedding or towels that have been properly sanitized. Brinda Wiita, chief scientific officer with PlaneAire Hands (an alcohol-based sanitizer line targeted to the traveling public), says:

“The monkeypox virus does not spread as readily as coronavirus, so CDC only recommends regular wiping of surfaces with an EPA-registered disinfectant, if in the vicinity of someone with a known infection. There is no need to disinfect the air since it is not transmitted by breathing. Based on this, the CDC does not suggest regularly wiping all surfaces. Instead, they suggest using hand sanitizer or washing hands frequently.

“You can avoid a monkeypox viral infection by not touching the skin of infected people and not handling or touching bedding, clothing or towels of people with monkeypox. Even if you are not near an infected person, surfaces like clothing, bedlinen, chairs—especially bathroom faucets and soap dispensers—can hold the virus for a long time. Since you don’t know when you are touching a contaminated surface, you should wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer often.”

Hotels Recover But Guest Satisfaction Suffers

While occupancy rates are up and coming close to pre-pandemic levels, overall satisfaction for guests has dropped compared to last year, according to J.D. Power’s most recent 2022 North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study.

The reason? Unhappiness with prices, added fees, food and beverage, and in-room amenities. Highest rates of complaint are for costs, fees, as well as room cleanliness and staffing issues (always a hot topic for meeting planners).

Overall hotel guest satisfaction declined eight points on a 1,000-point scale from 2021.

“The phenomenon we’re seeing this year tracks closely with the rise in average daily room rates since late 2021, putting hotel property owners squarely in recovery mode,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power.

“During the fielding period of the study—June 2021 through May 2022—the average daily rate for branded hotels has risen 34.8%. Many hotel owners and operators are using this post-pandemic surge in travel to get back on a steady financial footing, yet they held back on investing in upgrades and improvements during the pandemic. Hotel operators must carefully balance a focus on recovery with the heightened guest expectations that come with higher room rates.”

Other findings include:

Pricing up across all segments, but many travelers not perceiving good value for money: The single biggest factor driving this year’s 8-point decline in overall satisfaction is hotel cost and fees. Hotel guests are feeling like they are paying more, but not getting more in return.
Satisfaction with guest rooms decreases: While hotels still get relatively high satisfaction scores for guest room cleanliness, scores for décor and furnishings, in-room amenities and quality of bathrooms decline from a year ago.
More guests paying for internet access: The one hotel amenity that guests can’t live without is Wi-Fi. A large majority (81%) of guests accessed the internet in their hotel rooms. The percentage of guests who paid extra for that privilege has increased four percentage points from pre-pandemic 2019.
Fewer staff interactions: After emerging as the heroes of the pandemic by helping to keep hotels up and running through one of the most challenging periods in history, frontline hotel staff are spread thinner this year due to the industry labor shortage. However, while fewer guests are interacting with front desk staff and breakfast attendants this year compared with pre-pandemic 2019, they still give staff high ratings for courtesy.

Study Rankings

Upscale Extended Stay and Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay are two new segments included in this year’s study. The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:

Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (885) (for a second consecutive year)

Upper Upscale: Hard Rock Hotels (883) (for a second consecutive year)

Upscale: Hilton Garden Inn (868)

Upscale Extended Stay: Hyatt House (857)

Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (877) (for a 17th consecutive year)

Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay: Sonesta Simply Suites (852)

Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (849)

Economy: WoodSpring Suites (798)