Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading hospitality management company that operates 39 award-winning hotels, resorts and conference centers, issues an annual meeting trends report each year that gets widely discussed among industry professionals. Here are some highlights from this year’s list.
• Wireless EVERYTHING
Whether it’s a nod to green meetings or just convenience, note pads and pens are taking a back seat to iPads and electronic tablets as the preferred means of taking notes and documenting learning in the meeting room. Conference facilities are responding with charging stations throughout to juice up conferees’ devices during breaks. Meetings are increasingly active with texting and tweeting exchanges with meeting-related content.
• Healthy culinary continues
Ironically, that doesn’t mean the danish trays aren’t emptied daily. Meeting attendees are demanding healthy, gluten-free, sustainable cuisine and refreshment break selections — even going as far as to request an authentic culinary experience reflecting the native cuisine of participants. Healthy protein-nourished meeting attendees are attentive attendees!
• New meeting room demands
Today’s meeting technology brings a stronger need for secure environments in which to conduct business and learning when off site. Meeting planning professionals are demanding that facilities respond accordingly. More breakout rooms are also in high demand. Smaller and more intimate attendee interface is increasing after a lengthy period of deferred meetings.
• Teambuilding continues its trend upward
After years of postponed or deferred meetings, many companies are using teambuilding to inspire camaraderie and revive enthusiasm. But
this is not your 1990s ropes and obstacle courses. Today’s teambuilding is about scavenger hunts, early morning group fitness runs, competitive bowling and culinary cook-offs.
• What business segments are heating up?
Several, actually. Education (particularly engineering and technology), medical, biotech, high tech, new media, association, not-for-profits, financial services and the incentive segment are all showing signs of recovery. The one that’s not won’t surprise anyone — government-related business.
