Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel is set to open in late 2025. Courtesy of Omni Hotels

For meeting planners, the chosen location is almost as important as the itinerary. Which is why leading hotel brands around the world focus on happiness — giving meeting and event planners and attendees what they want: the “wow factor.”

The ‘wow factor’ is nothing more than state-of-the-art facilities and technology, specially catered menus, flexible staff, outdoor space, all-encompassing amenities and highly creative spaces that challenge attendees to think outside the box.

It might be overwhelming to think about the research and work that goes into accomplishing this, but top hotel brands around the world are not just doing it, they are revolutionizing the meeting  industry by it.

MGM Resorts

Top brands like MGM Resorts are highlighting their uniqueness in a way that entices event planners. According to Stephanie Glanzer, senior vice president and chief sales officer at MGM Resorts, MGM is at the tail end of a full $100 million remodel of the company’s 2 million sf Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, which will be completed in early 2024.

“The project reflects the needs and preferences of today’s meeting planners and attendees with significant technology upgrades, dynamic digital signage and a fresh, new design and ambiance,” Glanzer said. “The feedback we’ve already been receiving from planners and attendees has been terrific and we’re excited to showcase the space with new and recurring groups in the coming months.”

Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV, also offers the perfect blend of new venues and amenities to  elevate the resort experience. The Convention Center remodel is part of that new wave of enhancements, including the redesign of Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas’ 424 rooms and suites; the recent addition of Retro by Voltaggio; the debut of Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar and the upcoming opening of Swingers, an immersive adults-only golf experience and Orla, a new Greek concept by celebrated chef Michael Mina.

The addition of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to the MGM Resorts portfolio allows the company a tremendous opportunity to expand its offerings for premier meetings and events —  all within close proximity to Bellagio, ARIA, Vdara and Park MGM.

A $110 million transformation of all rooms and suites within Bellagio’s Spa Tower will be completed soon. MGM Grand also remodeled its Studio Tower, giving all 700 rooms a refreshing retro desert feel with a modern, stylish design, ideal for both business and leisure travelers. New York-New York recently completed a $63 million room remodel of all of its 1,830 rooms and 155 of its suites earlier this year.

“The most significant trend we’re seeing related to meetings and conventions is that attendees want to participate in events that are not only productive, but also meaningful,” Glanzer said. “With everyone’s time and resources at a premium, planners are looking to develop programs that allow groups to do business while also building team culture and giving back to the communities in which they’re visiting. Planners have been getting very creative in how they utilize our resorts and maximize our unique venues and amenities for a more meaningful experience.”

To stand out from the competition as a premier event space that embraces the health and wellness market, the MGM team has seen groups offer yoga or meditation at Mandalay Bay Beach, which is a great way to start a busy day of meetings. Remembering the importance of the “wow factor” — what makes their hotel unique — they also offer a team-building scavenger hunt of the vast MGM Resorts Fine Art Collection, which takes them throughout many of the resorts.

“We work closely with each planner to discover what’s important to them and what their hot buttons are for their particular group to ensure we can address all areas and customize a successful, productive event,” Glanzer said. “We want planners to remain focused on dreaming up the most memorable and exciting experiences for their attendees while our team works closely alongside them to execute each event with top-notch service and incredible attention to detail.”

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest hotel franchiser with approximately 9,100 hotels around the globe and 24 iconic brands, many that cater to planners by making it simple to organize multiple, multi-year meetings — whether it’s a major convention or intimate board meeting. Two years ago, the company rolled out The Meetings Collection, and today that includes more than 200 hotels in sought-after destinations that offer discounts, streamlined contracting, top-of-the-line technology, exclusive destination experiences and more.

As Kelly Patrick, group vice president, global sales at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, in Auburn, AL, explained, with more than 15 million sf of meeting and event space, Wyndham has some standout locations in its portfolio, like Galt House Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Louisville and Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach down in Florida, and they’re always looking to expand what they can offer.

“Recently, we’ve added The Courtland Grand Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham that has expansive meeting space in the heart of Atlanta, as well as over a dozen new hotels coming to the Trademark brand with LuxUrban in key cities like Miami and Los Angeles,” Patrick said. The collection also just unveiled the first Wyndham Alltra in the Dominican Republic with the stunning 404 room Wyndham Alltra Samaná.

“Bleisure travel isn’t going away anytime soon, and these destinations not only answer the needs of meetings planners, but also deliver exceptional experiences for today’s travelers looking to extend their trips outside of their work week,” Patrick said. “Many millennials make up today’s workforce, and we know that they value experiences above anything else.”

As part of The Meetings Collection’s benefits, planners can actually unlock custom destination experiences depending on their level of spend like golf getaways at Grandover Resort & Spa or beer and wine receptions at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, to name a few.

This experience-forward trend has also encouraged hotels to offer a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces beyond just boardrooms and conference centers, allowing for work to get accomplished while also letting attendees enjoy and take in their surroundings. Cheyenne Mountain Resort, A Dolce by Wyndham is a perfect example of that.

“The addition of hotels like Wyndham Alltra in Dominican Republic or those that are coming with our LuxUrban partnership bring attendees to locations they want to be in, and we’re focused on continuing to up the ante when it comes to all that Wyndham can offer to meeting planners,” Patrick said.

Earlier this year, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the upcoming integration of Groups360, which brings instant online, multi-room bookings to their hotel reservation system and makes the booking process more seamless for planners.

Omni Homestead Resort. Courtesy of Omni Hotels

Omni Hotels & Resorts

Omni Hotels & Resorts recently opened Omni PGA Frisco Resort and Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU, and are about to celebrate the grand re-opening of The Omni Homestead Resort after a $150 million, three-year restoration project. Additionally, they are in the middle of $1.5 billion in portfolio investments that include renovations at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, Omni Tucson National Resort, and Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in San Diego, CA.

“We have also recently launched a brand evolution to go along with the significant growth we’re seeing in our company with nationwide portfolio enhancements, service training and marketing investments,” said Omni Hotels & Resorts chief sales officer, Dan Surette. “This is a new era for the brand and marks the first major shift in visual identity in more than a decade.”

Last year, Omni Hotels & Resorts saw a great deal of pent-up demand from corporate planners. This year, they are seeing less short-term RFPs for 2023, but noting a significant uptick in new opportunities for the next couple of years.

They are also noticing room strong pick-up with F&B spend on par with pre-pandemic numbers, but their investments in new and re-imagined event spaces are probably the most exciting news, explained Surette.

At the new Omni PGA Frisco Resort, for example, they feature a two-acre putting course and a 10-hole short-course for groups to use for team-building and networking events. In the middle of this space, they also have a huge big screen and stage area for video content and entertainment.

“We have also added event pavilions at some of our resorts (Omni PGA Frisco Resort and The Omni Homestead Resort) where planners can use the flexible indoor and outdoor spaces,” Surette said.

The Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel will be opening in late 2025, featuring 800 rooms and over 80,000 sf of event space located adjacent to the expanding Fort Lauderdale Convention Center.

Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Entertainment has long been synonymous with innovation within the meetings and events space. The
company is continuing to reinvent itself with new offerings, updated properties and innovative advancements throughout its portfolio of properties.

“With over 50 properties, there’s always something new or changing at Caesars. Most recently, we’ve had a number of new celebrity restaurants open at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, including Martha Stewart’s first-ever restaurant, The Bedford,” said Kelly Gleeson Smith, Caesars Entertainment vice president of sales in Las Vegas, NV.

Harrah’s Las Vegas, which is directly connected to the company’s newest conference center CAESARS FORUM, has also undergone significant renovations, including a new restaurant from Chef Gordon Ramsay and updated hotel lobby and rooms.

“The meetings and events industry is at a really interesting junction right now as we’re seeing a lot of big trends and changes catching interest,” Gleeson Smith said. “The two that are most interesting and relevant for Caesars Entertainment are the growing demand for personalization and sustainability.”

Personalization has gained immense traction and attendees now expect events tailored to their preferences and needs. With its vast number of resources and venues that they can utilize to meet virtually any request, this is a trend that Caesars Entertainment is uniquely suited for.

“Sustainability is a crucial concern for both attendees and corporate planners today,” Gleeson Smith said. “Caesars Entertainment has been ahead of the trend here for a while with our long-running commitment to sustainable practices. We can organize eco-conscious events by implementing sustainable practices, such as reducing waste, promoting local sourcing for event materials, assisting with volunteer opportunities and more.”

What excites Gleeson Smith the most about Caesars Entertainment’s offerings in the world of meetings and events is the vast range of what they have to offer and the number of possibilities for personalization.

“We have properties on both coasts and throughout the middle of the country, so planners have their pick of locations. In some areas, such as our Las Vegas, Reno, or Atlantic City locations, planners can put together cross-venue events utilizing spaces across different properties through our ‘One Contact, One Contract, One F&B Minimum’ strategy,” Gleeson Smith said. “It allows for a really deep level of personalization for each event and provides the attendees an all-inclusive destination experience, unique to Caesars Entertainment.”

Loews Hotels

According to Christi Davis, senior vice president, sales & marketing at Loews Hotels & Co, in New York, NY, Loews is focused heavily right now on the opening of Loews Arlington Hotel, its second hotel in Arlington, TX. The hotel will officially debut early next year and will feature more than 200,000 sf of meeting space, multiple food and beverage outlets, a resort-style pool and more.

Loews Hotels is mindful that this is a transformational moment for the meetings industry, and they are helping in-person events to come back better than ever. Providing new venues and special experiences, listening to the planners to stay ahead of emerging trends and priorities, they are positioned for this kind of big-picture thinking.

“Our food and beverage team has made great strides in supplier diversity, bio-dynamic offerings and sustainability. Most recently, we rolled out a hand-crafted mocktail program, leaning into our brand values of locally hand-crafted, but also recognizing that having multiple curated creations for all is a value add,” said Davis.

According to Davis, today’s meeting planners are budget-conscious while looking for even bigger and better events. One of Loews Hotels’ goals is to customize and tailor each meeting to the individual planner’s needs.

“At Loews Hotels, we always want to provide an elevated experience regardless of the budget,” Davis said. “There are many ways we assist in doing this from the creation of flexible menus, to engaging our preferred partners, like Encore, in offering discounted AV.”

The Loews team has also seen a new trend. Meeting planners want their attendees to embrace the distinctly local flair and flavor, and incorporate personal experiences with their business travel.  Programs like Flavor by Loews Hotels are a value add with no incremental costs. Flavor integrates each destination’s most creative food and beverage artisans into the culinary offerings and experiences at their hotels.

“Flexibility, customization and creativity, it’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to executing meetings and events at Loews Hotels,” Davis said. “We look at each event as a unique one-of-a-kind experience, tailored to the group’s specific needs.”

Hilton Columbus Downtown. Courtesy Photo

Hilton Hotels & Resorts

With more than 600 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has served as the backdrop for many global meetings and events. The brand continues to innovate in that space, expanding in prime destinations around the world to meet the needs of business travelers.

According to Leonard Gooz, global brand leader, Hilton Hotels & Resorts in McLean, VA, following an extensive renovation, Hilton added theWit Chicago, a Hilton Hotel to the company’s portfolio this spring. With newly appointed guest rooms and suites, a new lobby and upgraded amenities and services, theWit continues to push the design envelope with upscale elements offering a refreshed twist to embody the home of a worldly collector.

Located in the heart of Chicago’s downtown Loop, theWit offers 7,000 sf of state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces, a business center and onsite experience concierge along with the premier rooftop restaurant and bar, ROOF on theWit, one of Chicago’s most sought-after rooftop destinations. This elevated spot offers sweeping skyline views and a retractable roof to keep the space accessible year-round.

Hilton University of Houston recently underwent a four-year expansion to allow for enhanced meetings and events. “The recent expansion of Hilton Columbus Downtown to become Ohio’s largest hotel has boosted group bookings year over year  by groups that have not previously considered Columbus a leading convention destination,” Gooz said.

Hilton Columbus Downtown now boasts 1,000 guest rooms, over 75,000 sf of meeting and ballroom space, and four new food and beverage concepts across both of its towers. A skybridge connects the hotel’s two towers, as well as the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which offers an additional 1.8 million sf of meeting space available to visiting groups.

“As a customer insights-driven company, we are always working to evolve alongside our customers’ changing preferences and desires,” Gooz concluded.

Hilton’s 2024 Global Trends Report will be released soon, which combines insights from Hilton experts and thousands of travelers across the world to spotlight emerging trends and preferences of the evolved traveler.

This report will allow Hilton, as well as other brands, to look inward, reflect and provide a glimpse into the creative and innovative solutions —  the “wow factor” that brands can offer attendees year after year. C&IT