Attendees learned Southern BBQ techniques from a local expert during this event, gaining skills and bonding with colleagues through shared experiences. courtesy of Jenny Askins / Touronimo

Today’s meeting and event planners are focusing more on creating opportunities for individuals to have multi-dimensional experiences, allowing attendees to participate from a different perspective.

In the last few years, event attendees have become more aware of authentic representation of the communities where events are being held. They are holding a very high standard to event and conference organizers to connect with the local community and highlight new and innovative businesses that reflect the cultures and traditions of the location.

In a time when some event attendees claim to have “seen it all,” says Heather Odendaal, founder and CEO of Events by Bluebird, “Successful event planners need to curate the unexpected experience that will wow their attendees. As the golden age of flashy tech-funded conferences comes to a close, it takes more than deep pockets to captivate audiences these days.”

A good example of this could be the transformation of space, a hotel ballroom converted into a Marrakech Market, or a yoga class taught in the center of a world-class art gallery. “As an event planner, envision spaces that are often overlooked but allow your attendees to express their individuality and enrich their experience,” Odendaal says. “Attendees are also interested in seeing their conference fees being used to support local entrepreneurs and businesses and are independently motivated to spend at event activations such as pop-up local markets.”

Jenny Askins is the founder and CEO of Touronimo in Huntsville, AL. Askins and her team provide corporate event planning, concierge services and conference support. From her experience, there has been a significant shift in attendees wanting to “get the most out of a destination” when attending meetings and events.

Askins points to three noticeable factors that she has observed when it comes to guests visiting a city:

Visitors are seeking an authentic experience. They want to explore hidden gems, try local food and enjoy local music. They want to immerse themselves in all that the city has to offer and discover sights that tourists do not typically see.

Guests are interested in giving back to the community they are visiting. They often look for service projects that can be accomplished while they are in town.

Many guests combine work and leisure travel. They often schedule an extra day or two to enjoy the city and want to spend that time doing fun activities for themselves and their travel companions.

“As hosts, it’s our job to help them make the most out of their stay,” Askins says.

People are finding that there are better ways to connect with attendees. Getting the most out of a destination is a way to create a lasting memory that can positively influence an attendee, both personally and professionally.

Annie Sim, founder and CEO – Chief Eating Officer – at The Table Less Traveled, works with event planners and companies to design transformative experiences that encourage deeper connections with the flavors, cultures, and communities of the world. She says there has been a shift since the COVID pandemic.

“As many teams have become hybrid or remote, there has been a consistent conversation about the isolation of work, and employees lacking community with others in their companies. As many companies reduce their real estate budget, it has opened resources for companies to think creatively about how to allocate funds towards alternative ways to create cohesion beyond the office and water cooler,” Sim says. “Travel for ‘bleisure’ has become a trend, and many companies are footing the bill for their teams, and sometimes even their families.”

In addition to planning team retreats for other companies, Sim additionally crafts her company’s own annual all-team retreat, as they are a fully remote company. In their most recent meeting, they dedicated each day to one of the company’s core values. Each day integrated an activity in a local area, prepared with observation prompts for participants, and then the daily meeting/workshop built upon the activity’s takeaways. One of the themes in the company’s core values is “We prioritize quality and integrity.”

“We arranged for a tour of a local fortune cookie factory with the owner and a sit-down lunch afterward. During our time on the factory floor, we learned about the strict standards for food production, the requirements they additionally hold themselves accountable to, and what they prioritize over profits,” Sim says. “The owner also spoke about the culture of the community that played a role in their employees’ perspectives on the company, and how operational decisions had ripple effects. After returning to our workshop room in the afternoon, our team reflected on the ‘cool factor’ of a ‘Mr. Rogers Tour,’ and all the rich learning from another company’s perspectives. We drew parallels to our own standards and company practices and then ideated on how to continue prioritizing quality in everything we do with a refreshed lens from a similar, yet different, perspective that allowed us to think outside the box.”

Find Ways To Captivate Your Attendees

So how are other planners designing events that captivate attendees and fulfill their interest in exploring the meeting and event destination?

Kerry Gillick-Goldberg, founder of KGG Enterprises, a company that offers event planning and marketing services, says that in the past when traveling to an offsite destination, there would be a tour or something similar provided to the attendees after the “business” of the trip was taken care of. Now, much of the “business” is bonding, team building and integrating and enjoying what the location has to offer.

“Technology, and more specifically social media, has truly enhanced the research that can go into planning an offsite event, sparking enthusiasm and interest in the destination itself,” Gillick-Goldberg says. “We are able to find the best local dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences to elevate the event and provide the best experience for the attendees.”

Stephanie Madonia, founder of Keep Becoming Events, works with Gillick-Goldberg and recently orchestrated a distinguished men’s health summit at an estate, hosting esteemed clients Dave Reggina and Sean Degnan, the visionaries and founders of A.C.E., Action Cultivates Excellence.

The estate served as an unparalleled venue for this distinguished gathering, where attendees engaged in invigorating activities such as an early morning cold plunge into the 28-degree lake as well as outdoor resilience training amidst the picturesque snowy woods, involving wood chopping, logging and rigorous hikes across the expansive 146-acre property.

“The tranquility and grandeur of the estate’s various residences provided an ideal environment for participants to introspect, share personal challenges and set intentions for growth, fostering a motivational atmosphere that inspired further exploration,” Madonia said.

The A.C.E. Summit achieved resounding success in advancing its noble mission – a movement redefining masculinity. This exclusive and transformative experience was meticulously crafted for individuals dedicated to attaining both personal and professional excellence, arming men with the essential tools to navigate the complexities of contemporary leadership.

“Functioning as a sanctuary, the summit encouraged attendees to embrace the nuanced interplay between masculinity and vulnerability, underscoring the belief that authentic strength is forged through a blend of compassion, confidence, discipline, resilience and respect,” Madonia says. “The estate’s allure served as the perfect backdrop to unify these sanctuaries of growth and introspection.”

Build an Event Around Local Culture

Attendees want to feel a connection with a location, and that connection lives on long after the event is over. “It can also reverberate through social media, through word of mouth, and can cause future travel plans where people go to a destination with others to experience what they felt at the event,” says Jennifer Clark, owner of Emerge Events and lead event strategist for Techsytalk.

As an event planner with an anthropology background, building an event around the culture of the local destination has always been an important part of Clark’s events and it is definitely a growing trend. As she explains, attendees don’t want to just go to a cookie-cutter event, they want to truly experience a destination. There are many ways to bring both the local culture and destination into the event, but also can bring the attendee into the local community.

“Think storytelling, local art, local food, local culture and more,” Clark says. “An important way to do this is storytelling. Tell the stories of your vendors, your giveaways, your caterers, etc.”

For example, Emerge Events recently had the owner of the local DMO they were working with tell the story about her company at an event they designed in New Orleans recently.

At another event, Clark bought custom yoga mats for the attendees made by a small company from Minnesota. But instead of just simply handing out these yoga mats, the company made a video especially for the attendees, where they could see the mats in production and the owner could tell the story of her company and the mats.

“These instances give them a bigger connection to a location, a vendor or a product,” Clark says.

Many cities have art programs that engage adults with intellectual disabilities. Clark suggests that event planners can partner with these organizations to have custom artwork, bowls, ornaments, etc., made with custom colors and logos. Instead of generic promotional items, the event can have a handcrafted piece of art made by a participant and the funds raised from purchasing the swag go back into the organization.

“You can also do this when you bring the attendees into the community,” Clark says. For example, in San Diego, attendees at an event that Clark orchestrated had the opportunity to tour the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum.

“Before we left for the tour, we had someone from the museum come in and tell the story of the aircraft carrier, the museum and a lot of the history we would probably never have experienced had he not come in prior. And we always craft the content based on the group and their interests,” she says. “At a Nashville event, we brought in a local caterer who had been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and featured their story of how they overcame the adversity of the pandemic. This kind of storytelling makes a difference in how your attendees engage with the food they are eating. You can do this in any location. If a caterer or restaurant was in business in 2020, they have a story of overcoming adversity. It can be as simple as a 30-second video filmed prior to the event.”

Integrating Interaction and Hands-On Activities

Askins is also highly focused on delivering interactive experiences to attendees. “Nowadays, people want to avoid being stuck in their seats all day, particularly if they have been attending a conference,” Askins says. Therefore, her top priority is providing hands-on activities and immersive experiences that allow attendees to engage fully. Additionally, Askins understands that customizing and personalizing events is crucial.

“People appreciate personal touches that are meaningful to them and their group. We aim to ensure that every event has a ‘surprise and delight’ factor that nobody expected,” Askins says. “It’s like finding an Easter egg in an unusual place. Hence, while planning every event, we take a moment to ensure that we add this unexpected touch.”

For example, the Touronimo team offers a personalized BBQ cooking class that gives attendees a rare opportunity to explore the culinary tradition of Southern flavors.

The class is led by a local BBQ expert who walks attendees through selecting the best cuts of meat, creating unique rub blends and sharing his favorite cooking tips. This is an interactive experience that engages attendees’ senses and teaches how to cook delicious BBQ like a pro.

“It’s not just about cooking – it’s about the camaraderie that comes from shared experiences,” Askins says. “This class is perfect for team building, cultural immersion and creating unforgettable sensory experiences.”

Odendaal is also the founder of a Global Women’s Leadership Conference called WNORTH Conference. At the recent WNORTH Conference that was held in Whistler, British Columbia, earlier this spring, Odendaal and her team were intentional about ensuring that the attendees stepped out of the conference room and into the beautiful resort community.

“We planned a series of ‘après activities’ that ranged from a dreamcatcher making workshop at the Indigenous Cultural Centre to an expert-led trail hike in the neighboring Lost Lake forest to a relaxing sound bath experience,” Odendaal says. “Despite the strong focus on leadership development in the content, we acknowledge that a key recipe for leadership success is providing people with a chance to refill their bucket, and that needs to be built into the programming.”

Odendaal recommends planners collaborate with local experts and artists: Partner with local artisans, historians, chefs, performers, and other experts to add authenticity and depth to the event. Their knowledge and talents can enrich the experience for attendees and provide valuable insights into the culture.

“In Whistler, where our DMC Bluebird Strategy is based, we collaborate with the local Indigenous Cultural Centre to present official conference welcomes for our client events,” Odendaal says. “For conference activities, we engage local artists to do painting classes of Whistler-centered scenes, such as bears, forests and mountain-scapes.”

Future Emphasis on Traveling With a Purpose

Although trends in meeting and events may change, Askins does not believe that the concept of “traveling with a purpose” will become outdated anytime soon. She sees a deeper meaning in how people choose and experience their travel destinations.

“They want to connect with others and understand and experience cultures that are different from their own,” Askins says. “It may take some time before everyone can explore the world the way they desire.”

Gillick-Goldberg also believes that purpose-driven travel for business will continue and evolve. “I love when a volunteer or donation component is added to an event. It also reminds the attendee to be grateful for what they already have,” Gillick-Goldberg says. “It can be quite humbling.”

Odendaal adds that cultural tourism is here to stay. “Event attendees are seeking experiences that are enriching, educational, and contribute positively to the places they visit while attending a conference or convention,” Odendaal says. “The type of places they desire to visit will continue to evolve, but the idea of purposeful travel isn’t going away anytime soon.  Event planners need to be progressive and well educated on these trends in order to be successful in attracting new attendees.”   I&FMM