White tablecloths, notepads, pitchers of water and candy jars? Those are so passe.
Today’s convention groups and businesses are looking for more stimulating options when it comes to hosting a retreat or meeting and hotels are revving up their available client packages to accommodate them.
The new trend means that convention goers could find themselves enjoying a mid-morning yoga break or working on a community service project together.
“The key is creativity — taking the mundane meeting and bringing in some creativity and enhancement,” said Dan Tavrytzky, vice president of sales and services for a convention and visitors bureau.
Firesky Resort & Spa was one of the first resorts to recognize the growing demand. It began offering four specialized Signature Meetings packages last year, ranging from those that focus on the environment, to other, more playful, options.
The hotel’s Fun Worship package, for example is meant to create a high-energy atmosphere with rock and roll music, Hula-Hoops, Magic 8 Balls, wax lips and Groucho Marx glasses. Meals can include macaroni and cheese, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizzas, or for a breakfast of champions, Pop-Tarts and Lucky Charms.
The hotel hosted an Elements of Wellness meetings last month for a few engineers from K.R. Saline & Associates, a power and water company. The hotel provided stress balls, zen gardens and bubbles at each table. Soothing music, lavender hand towelettes and aromatherapy also created a spa-like atmosphere.
Relieving Boredom
“My guys are mostly engineers and it’s a stressful business,” said Sharen Husa, an executive assistant for K.R. Saline who arranged the meeting. “Sometimes meetings get kind of boring, long and technical. This was worth the extra expense. It creates a little bit more interest in the meeting.”
Signature Meetings start at an additional $12 per person and the cost increases depending on the customized elements the client wants to add, said Rich Gulden, Firesky’s director of conference services. The themed meetings account for between $75,000 and $100,000 of the hotel’s $4.5 million in annual revenue from meetings and conferences, he said.
After Kimpton launched its Signature Meetings last year, Omni started offering Sensational Meetings providing similar services this year. Starwood Hotels, the overarching company for W, Westin and Sheraton, also customizes meetings.
The CopperWynd Resort & Club specializes in coupling business events with teambuilding adventures, whether it be a Hummer desert tour, cattle drive, hot air balloon trip or horseback riding journey. The resort’s chef also offers “Iron Chef” like cook-off competitions as teambuilding exercises.
Meetings account for 48 percent of CopperWynd’s revenue, half of which is themed or customized meetings, hotel spokeswoman Leah Goldstein said.
One Sheraton hotel, scheduled to open in October 2008, already is developing its unique spin on meetings. Steven Spivak, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, said the hotel is partnering with a nonprofit that provides emergency housing for homeless families, to offer community service projects as teambuilding exercises.
“When there’s a big spend attached to a meeting, it’s often beneficial to show a positive associated with that big spend,” Spivak said.
Shake Up A Dull Meeting — With Pop-Tarts?
