By Robin Roberts
After several years of virtual collaborations, in-person meetings and events are back. Companies are re-discovering the value of face-to-face confabs and hotels are clamouring to attract this lucrative segment.
However, few corporations are eager to return to a stuffy conference room with a lineup of lecturers. They want their staff to have an experience and walk away with not only lessons learned but also memories made. And, they want to do it in an inclusive, unique and sustainable way. Here’s how hotels are accommodating the modern-day meetup.
Conferences on the Rise
Despite the desire for many companies to return to group meetings and events, the data doesn’t always reflect the reality. Laura Baxter, director of Hospitality Analytics in Canada at CoStar Group says group room demand in Canada has actually declined 1.5 per cent over the first four months of 2024.
“The metric also remains 11 per cent below pre-pandemic levels,” says Baxter, noting that small towns, resorts and airport locales are especially feeling the pinch comparative to cities. “It was to be expected but a bit discouraging to see those big drops, especially in places such as Ottawa and Montreal where business groups aren’t coming back to the same extent. Suburban hotels and those along the highway are seeing more demand than urban locations. And the greatest increases are priced below the $150 mark for group rates, which I think shows overall weakness in the economy and people tightening their belts.”
Nicholas Demasi, senior vice-president of Restaurants, Nightlife and F&B for 1 Hotels, says the company is among those seeing increased demand. “We’ve observed a significant rebound in the conference and banqueting industry in recent years,” he says, noting a shift in booker preferences towards more unique and collaborative spaces, “particularly those with outdoor settings, [which have] contributed to this spike in bookings.”
Demasi says clients are especially interested in informal environments which facilitate creativity, collaboration and engagement. “1 Hotels responded with features such as living green walls and spaces full of natural light that offer a more inspirational setting in comparison to sta
ndard meeting spaces.”
Daniel Surette, Chief Sales Officer for Omni Hotels & Resorts, says being a smaller, family-owned and managed company allows for more flexibility and less red tape when it comes to contracts and designing unique meetings and events. “We’ve actually changed the flowers and the landscape colour to [reflect] the group’s branding,” he says. Another booking for emergency responder training inspired Omni to roll a fire truck into the ballroom and let participants rappel off the roof. “It takes a bit of logistics planning [but] the first answer [to any request] should be ‘yes’, then, ‘how do we assist?’”
Opportunities for conference-goers to breathe a bit of fresh air helps them stay engaged, alert and focused while digesting reams of new information. Surette says many of their 50 Omni properties across the U.S. and Canada have been designed with those opportunities in mind.
When the weather doesn’t co-operate, Hilton’s EventReady Playbook, part of the Hilton Honors Event Planner Program, offers options for creating engaging events indoors through their “wellness passport.” During meeting breaks, participants can check out the spa for a massage or aromatherapy session, take a dip in the pool, or attend a fitness, meditation or yoga class to physically and mentally rejuvenate.
The Playbook, says Devin Kaltenbach, senior director, Hilton Honors, is “an added benefit for our loyal event planners, designed to provide guidance, inspiration and solutions for those wanting to create events grounded in engaging, safe and socially-responsible practices,” adding that the program “encourages members to earn Hilton Honors points for meetings, conferences, celebrations, weddings, group travel and other special events of all sizes held at participating Hilton hotels worldwide, with no minimum spend required.”
Nutritional Support
Many attendees want to maintain their healthy routines, and hotels can accommodate that by designing their menus with a focus on nutritious meals and beverages. “People have become more mindful of their health and wellness, even in professional settings, and they expect conferences and banquets to provide food and drink that cater to various dietary needs and preferences,” says Demasi. “1 Hotels has created bespoke menus tailored to meet any client specifications, ensuring that attendees can enjoy exceptional dining experiences that align with their dietary habits and routines.”
Over at Omni, Surette says their culinary teams work with bookers to meet their groups’ needs, whether it’s a grab-and-go option, small plates or big buffet. “Buffets are still popular but we’re seeing [more requests for] small plates and other options.”
Sustaining Sustainability
Baxter says sustainability remains top of mind in the segment for both conference-goers and the venues themselves. To that end, 1 Hotels has traded single-use plastics for eco-friendly and re-usable alternatives, which have significantly reduced expenses.
“Our decision to implement the Certified Sustainable Gatherings initiative was a natural progression in our mission to integrate sustainability into all aspects of our operations,” says Demasi, noting the program has averaged a 97 per cent waste-diversion rate. “It was driven by our commitment to environmental responsibility and the growing demand for eco-conscious events. This brand-wide initiative empowers clients to create unforgettable events with minimal environmental impact, offering third-party certification with Foodprint Group to ensure transparency and accountability. The program emphasizes flexibility, allowing clients to customize their events according to six core principles, ranging from waste reduction, food donations, to eco-friendly and re-useable decor. And, by leveraging tools like Copia, a surplus distribution platform, we efficiently distribute excess food to local communities, minimizing waste and supporting food security initiatives.”
Similarly, Surrette says Omni has recently updated its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) guide to, among other initiatives, better manage and re-purpose food waste. “We have a program called Say Goodnight to Hunger, which started in 2016. For every group or transient stay, one meal is donated to the local Feeding America Food Bank where Omni hotels operate. Since then, we’ve donated 25 million meals. It’s heartwarming to see our teams volunteering at the food banks, which totals more than 7,000 hours a year, and know that the meals and dollars are going back into those local markets.”
With regard to automation, Demasi says technology has further expanded and supported sustainability in conferences while making them run smoother and more efficiently. “For example, event-management apps reduce the need for physical materials; real-time data analytics optimize resource use; and enhanced virtual and hybrid event capabilities lower the carbon footprint associated with travel.”
Revenue Sourcing
Group meetings and events are obviously a lucrative source of revenue for hotels, and leveraging that market is ever more important. “Attracting a strong group base is an important element that allows hoteliers to confidently yield rates in bookings made closer to the date of stay,” says Baxter. “But when hotel demand was rebounding from the pandemic, group base became less important as transient demand was so strong. Now that demand patterns are normalizing, group base is of increasing importance again.”
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