< PreviousVALERIE BIHET Owner, Director VIBE Agency T he event landscape in 2023 will center around a few key things in my opinion: strategy, effective budgeting, education and sustainability, technology and experi- ential marketing. Here’s what I mean: In regard to strategy, we’ll see events move from being multiday or week-long affairs, to maybe only one or two days. The overall days of an event will be shorter, and the focus will continue to move from international and national events to be more local and regional. This change will be balanced by the continual presence of virtual and hybrid events to still allow bigger reach without the necessity of everyone being on-site, or concerned about health risks. That directly ties into budgets, which will be tight because of the speculation around a recession. Events are booked with shorter timelines, costs continue to increase and budgets do not. We will continue to contend with it next year, and agen- cies need to really understand how to sell during a “crisis men- tality” that will be rampant. Next is education and sustainability. As event profession- als, we need to always educate ourselves about what is going on in other industries and our own. This ties directly into the importance of sustainability, which comes around every few years, but is a big topic of importance to Generation Z as they step into the workforce. Their influence will be felt on events, and it’ll be positive for us all. We have been on a digital evolution in events since 2020, and I see that continuing. Having technology, whether it’s meta- verse, hybrid, virtual reality or whatever as part of your event will be even more of a requirement, as well as an expectation of attendees and clients alike, rather than a “nice to have.” And finally, we’ll see the focus continue to shift to the experiential direction, rather than just events for meeting’s or event’s sake. Companies are seeing the impact that expe- riencing a brand can have on sales and overall brand percep- tion, and so experiential marketing tactics will be more in- demand than ever before. KURT PABEN CEO, Hosts Global A t Hosts Global, we are optimistic about 2023 as we continue to see a very active pace of booking. Today, the experience matters more than ever. Recovery is progressing, program design is evolving, and the role of the DMC as a local expert is more important than it’s ever been as the desire to travel to new destinations has increased for North American buyers. Interest in and booking trends for our international destinations has increased significantly for 2023, which will result in a continued expansion of our Hosts Global Alliance. The reality of rising costs of goods and services has resulted in a need for stronger than ever communication as we assist cli- ents with their program planning — using our local expertise to make the most fiscally sound recommendations for clients that also delivers the impact they expect from their investments. As availability tightens, the need for clients to lock in decisions sooner has become critical to ensure success and reduce risk. Program design continues to evolve — we have seen a new emergence of key wellness program activities as well as CSR opportunities, and sustainability has become increasingly more important. There has been an abundant understanding of the value of having in-person meetings. Now, more than ever, the emphasis on the importance of companies looking to restore culture and improve communication dynamics among their teams is bringing on more internal meeting opportunities. C&IT Kurt Paben Valerie Bihet 20 December 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Meet in a City Where Minds Shine as Bright as the Sun Funded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. San Diego’s idyllic weather, innovative spirit and unparalleled quality of life create an inspiring climate conducive to collaboration and creativity. Looking to bring out the brightest in your a endees? Plan your next event in America’s Brightest City. Visit SanDiego.org/meetings or call 877-973-6338 to start planning today. Downtown San Diego “ Ranked Top 10 Innovation Hub ” - Brookings Institution DATE JOB TITLE PUB/DATE JOB TYPE COLOR ACTUAL SIZE LIVE TRIM BLEED OUTPUT % FILE NAME 09/28/22 Meetings & Groups Print Meetings Magazine "State of the Industry" Print 4CP SDT_Innovation_MeetingsMagazine_StateOfTheIndustry.indd 8.125" x 10.875" 7.125" x 9.875" 8.125" x 10.875" 8.375" x 11.125" 100% AD CW AE P EP APPROVAL/DATE _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ ______ _______ ______ Michael Karap Schuyler VandenBurgh Karle'e Gleghorn Carol Knaeps Mark Rylander SDT_Innovation_MeetingsMagazine_StateOfTheIndustry.indd 19/28/22 3:42 PMMeet in a City Where Minds Shine as Bright as the Sun Funded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. San Diego’s idyllic weather, innovative spirit and unparalleled quality of life create an inspiring climate conducive to collaboration and creativity. Looking to bring out the brightest in your a endees? Plan your next event in America’s Brightest City. Visit SanDiego.org/meetings or call 877-973-6338 to start planning today. Downtown San Diego “ Ranked Top 10 Innovation Hub ” - Brookings InstitutionF rom earning points toward prizes upon listening to breakout speakers, to team-building events that award the most successful teams, to inter- active games that result in free giveaways, the gamification of today’s meetings and events is popular among attendees and planners alike. Madeline Purches, B2B business manager and meeting planning expert with Team Building Hub, the corporate events brand of The Escape Game, is definitely seeing gami- fication as a growing trend in the last couple of years. “People are always looking for new ways to engage their attendees, whether for large conferences with thousands, or even just a small team meeting,” Purches says. “I see it used anywhere from networking events to provide connection opportunities, to a teaching tool during a summit, and even a leadership training tool. There’s always an opportunity to offer something that gets people’s attention and their buy in. It increases the engagement of the attendees, and the overall success of the event.” Recently, Team Building Hub created a custom event for PWC called Grounded, to be used during their annual con- ference. This was a three-session activation that participants came back to for all three days of the conference. “It created a huge buzz around the conference each time we did it, engaging participants with each other leading up to the announcement of the winning team on the final day,” Purches says. In addition, Team Building Hub has an ongo- ing partnership with Bridgestone to run an event called The Art Thief during their leadership development programs. The game serves as a kick off for the program, letting team members loosen up and communicate with each other before the program. The game is then referenced as an example of communication and leadership throughout the program. “We also do a number of virtual activations. The largest so far was a group of 1,800 regional managers from Verizon, who played one of our Mystery Games online,” Purches says. “It served as part of their yearly meeting, and helped to fos- ter a sense of connection and community, even though they weren’t able to meet in person.” Lee Gimpel is a meeting planning expert and founder of Better Meetings, a meeting design, facilitation and training company in Washington, D.C. that works on improving in- person and online meetings with a focus on engagement. Gimpel says some gamification at events seems like “gim- micky window dressing,” and it doesn’t really move the nee- dle in terms of engagement or bottom-line results. In addi- tion, the variety of gamification strategies don’t always offer the best results. A typical example of gamification Gimpel has seen for decades at conferences is something like a ‘passport’ system to encourage visits to the exhibitors. “There are a number of variations on this, but it basically looks like visiting numerous vendors where you get a stamp or a signature and if you col- lect all of them, then you get a prize,” Gimpel says. “From the outside, this can look successful because it means there are a bunch of people racing around an exhibit floor and seemingly PLANNER TIPS // Compete & Connect Gamification is a Sure-Fire Way to Engage Event Attendees BY MAURA KELLER 22 December 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.cominteracting with exhibitors. But the reality is a lot of those interactions are not very valuable. It’s just attendees trying to win an iPad and they don’t really care about the exhibitors, and it means they’re visiting exhibitors that really aren’t a good fit with them just to get that stamp.” Gimpel points to another example that might fall into the gamification category, which is a sort of lottery where people who are still present at the very last session win a big prize because they haven’t already hopped a plane home. “It’s not necessarily a bad idea, but if staying until the end is in essence a bribe, that may be a sign that the event itself isn’t worth staying for,” Gimpel says. “If people are really only there for the big-screen TV or the airline tickets to a destination of their choice, it may be a ‘canary in the coal mine’ about the value of the event itself.” A number of online and hybrid events also build in gamifi- cation, but they may be looking too much at quality over quan- tity. For example, gamification in the virtual world may involve how many sessions a person attended or how many questions they asked. These points then net some sort of reward, but again, it doesn’t really correlate to quality interactions. “Although it might not typically be seen as gamification, there’s value in ranked voting for audience questions, which can be run through a number of platforms, online or in per- son,” Gimpel says. “We definitely want to get the best, most relevant questions from the audience, and if we have a win- dow into that through a point system, then that’s a good use of what could seem like gamification.” As a general rule, Gimpel would advise conferences to look more toward collaboration than competition if they’re thinking about gamification. In other words, “How can we get disparate attendees to come together and talk and work on challenges to our industry, as opposed to individuals amassing points and getting prizes for it?” “I would also encourage conference organizers to focus on the fun that we associate with games as opposed to nec- essarily handing out prizes. Frankly, a lot of conferences are rather dry, passive and boring,” Gimpel says. “An event that is two days of watching people lecture with some small gami- fication thrown in where one person wins a prize could be vastly improved by changing the structure and format, and rewarding people with dynamic content instead.” David Jacobson is founder & CEO of TrivWorks, which specializes in corporate trivia events, and has produced gamification experiences for small startups to Fortune 500 companies nationwide for more than 15 years. Jacobson has seen consistent and growing interest in ways to engage corporate meeting, conference and event attendees with engaging activities. “It may go by different names — icebreakers, mixers, team builders, energizers, etc. — but at the end of the day, what plan- ners are really looking for are fun, compelling ways to engage an audience,” Jacobson says. This trend only accelerated dur- ing the pandemic, when planners of all stripes were desperate for ways to keep remote attendees connected and engaged — and it has shown no signs of slowing down any time soon. “The one thing which corporate meeting and event attendees who engage in some form of gamification seem to enjoy the most is competition,” Jacobson says. “There’s just something that a good-natured contest taps into people, Photo by Patrick Donahue Experts say gamification is an integral part of the meetings industry. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | December 2022 23regardless of industry, region or personality type. Folks love to win, so any way planners can capture that in a fun and impactful way will almost always be a sure-fire hit among corporate event participants.” Proper Planning and Knowing Your Audience Purches says the biggest mistake she sees meeting plan- ners make as it relates to gamification is substituting fun and engagement for relevancy and learning. “These things can exist in harmony, but I’ve seen plan- ners turn what was intended to be a fun event into an overt ad for a sponsor, or stuff a trivia game so full of talking points from the meeting that it no longer feels like a game — it feels like a pop quiz. Trust that the game and the engagement will be enough — even if it’s not explicitly related to the con- tent of the event, it will drive overall engagement in other aspects,” Purches says. That’s why Purches advises meeting planners that the earlier they can start thinking about what the gamification of an event will look like, the better. “Include gamification in your planning from the very beginning, and you’ll be able to create solutions that are fully integrated into your event and give the best results,” Purches says. “It’s the difference between a networking happy hour with a trivia game, and a networking happy hour with an immersive game with multiple game stations, live hosts and a secret mission woven throughout. So much is possible when you make it a part of your planning process equal to catering, speakers and venue.” Jacobson agrees with Purches in that planners who are seeking to incorporate some form of gamification into their function also should resist the temptation to make it too indus- try or company focused. Using trivia as an example, the natural inclination for planners is to ask as many trivia questions as possible about industry news, products/services/capabilities of related companies, facts about key stakeholders, etc. “In reality, from the perspective of the attendee, this seems less like a fun time, and more like a ‘quiz,’” Jacob- son says. “Planners should of course strive to make whatever gamification elements relevant to the function as well as the audience, however it should be well-balanced.” It’s also important for planners to recognize there is no “one-size-fits-all” activity which works for every meeting, event or conference. Planners have really got to know their audience, as well as have a clear idea in mind of what they’re trying to achieve through the activity. “Is this primarily a professional networking opportunity? A sales kickoff? A new hire or intern orientation? Gamifying each event and audience requires some nuance into what might work well, and what won’t,” Jacobson says. “I obviously love corporate trivia events; however, I also know there are limita- tions as to who it will work for as a meeting or conference gam- ification device, and who it won’t. Be as clear as can be about both your audience and your goals for the event, and be sure you are booking a vendor which is the best match for both.” When devising gamification, Marvin McTaw, CEO of Sched, says planners should keep the following in mind and remember that gamification must: • Move attendees from a passive role to an active role in session • Improve the attendees’ ability to connect to the content • Create opportunities for attendees to interact with each other • Empower attendees to play a more active role in the session outcome • Create incentive to participate and reward performance “Attendees are increasingly familiar with gamification trends. There are many gamification tools out there that offer Photo by Patrick Donahue The best games should boost attendee engagement and networking. 24 December 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comsimilar experiences. For regular event attendees, the novelty is wearing off,” McTaw says. “To stay on top of the game, event planners should think outside the box and ensure that any gamification is bespoke and targeted to the content of the event and the people in attendance.” And remember that solely digital gamification activities can actually isolate attendees from your event. Rather than fostering a sense of community and engagement, it can lead attendees to stare at their phones and ignore the rest of the event. Rather, use gamification as a prompt for people to inter- act with peers, the event content and the space around them. “Another mistake to avoid is assuming that all attendees approach gamification activities in the same way or with the same level of enthusiasm,” McTaw says. “Try to map the different personas you’re targeting and create roles within games that can appeal to them. You can try to capture this information during your event registration process.” Also, be sure not to lose sight of the content of your event. Any gamification should enhance your session content, not outshine it. “If your attendee missed the keynote because they were too busy playing bingo, you need to readjust the balance,” McTaw says. Finally, don’t overwhelm attendees with technology. If you’re using event scheduling software, you don’t want to distract attendees from your conference schedule by flooding them with different apps for gamification activities. “You’ll also minimize the number of times you get asked, ‘Is there somewhere I can charge my phone?’” McTaw says. Looking Ahead So, is gamification here to stay? Absolutely, say the experts. “Since 2020, getting people to attend events has become more and more difficult — folks have gotten used to fewer in-person interactions, and you need to really raise the bar to get them to attend and engage,” Purches says. “Gami- fication has been a really great way to do that. I think as we move forward, we’re only going to see more impressive and immersive forms of gamification.” As humans, Jacobson points out that we are naturally hard-wired for competition; whether it’s introverted ana- lysts or hard-charging salespeople, professional audiences will always respond to a well-planned, well-executed game to keep things fun and entertaining at corporate events of all types. “What I see as the future of corporate gamification is hybrid events: in-person audiences with remote profession- als running the show,” Jacobson says. “This allows planners the flexibility to bring in top-tier gamification to places and events they might otherwise not have been able to, at a frac- tion of the cost.” Post-pandemic, there’s been a wave of increased social anxiety after months of isolation and remote working. Although the desire is there, networking in large groups can be daunting. “Gamification is a fantastic buffer that can organically bring people together with a sense of fun and community,” McTaw says. “While many people attend events with their own agendas and priorities, gamifica- tion rallies attendees together behind an objective and activity.” Every month, Sched surveys attendees to find out what they really want from the events they attend. Recent findings show that attendees aren’t bothered about flashy gimmicks and the latest technol- ogy. The bigger focus is on content and engaging with peers. “We think gamification will stay, but with less emphasis on flashy tech as event budgets dwindle,” McTaw says. “Event planners are getting creative, going old school and implementing non-techno- logical gamification elements.” C&IT Courtesy of Marvin McTaw Team building is one of the biggest benefits of gamification. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | December 2022 25 If people are really only there for the big-screen TV or the airline tickets to a destination of their choice, it may be a ‘canary in the coal mine’ about the value of the event itself. LEE GIMPEL, Meeting Planning Expert and Founder of Better MeetingsGreat F&B Elevates an Event Into an Experience A sk any meeting planner what accounts for meeting success, and you’re bound to receive a range of responses. Yet, one key ingredient consistently stands out among the others: the overall quality of the food & beverage service. Why? Because happy meeting plan- ners know that top-notch culinary experiences make for more than memorable meals and a memorable event. When elevated from ordinary to extraordinary, exceptional dining experiences deliver an emotional wealth of well-being. “Maybe that emotional response is the euphoric feel- ing of having an amazing bite of food you have never had before, or maybe it triggers a memory from your past, or maybe that bite of food is trumped by the people you are breaking bread with, but was only the vehicle that brought you all together,” says Joshua Murray, executive chef and director of food & beverage at Conrad Washington, DC. “The pure essence of hospitality is what I want to provide, and that means creating the moment for people to truly feel at home.” The feeling of “an inclusive home away from home” is also the goal of Adam Tanner, assistant vice president of F&B for AHC Hospitality in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “We want you to know that your meeting will have our undivided attention to the details. From the comfort of a great breakfast muffin to Instagrammable event spaces, we have you covered.” The small details are what elevates a mere conference meal into culinary experiences, agrees Elliott Grover, exec- utive chef at 45 Park Lane, Dorchester Collection. “Just because you are providing a high volume of food doesn’t mean the culinary experience has to be basic,” he says. “You can put more effort into the prep where you have more time and manpower, and then the finishing touches will be a lot easier without compromising on the wow factor.” The Art of the Meal INDUSTRY INSIGHT // BY NANCY MUELLER 26 December 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comFor Andrew Chadwick, executive chef at Chatham Bars Inn in Massa- chusetts, there are three key themes that elevate a culinary experience from noteworthy to exceptional for corporate meeting attendees: “They are the setup, execution of the food and service,” he says. Paul Peddle, executive chef at Four Seasons Hotel, Hous- ton, echoes Chadwick: “The culinary culture at Four Sea- sons Hotel Houston is based on quality ingredients, thoughtful and creative preparations and extraor- dinary service.” Pablo C. Aguirre, executive chef at Mar- riott Marquis Houston, says from his perspective, elevating a culinary experience from noteworthy to excep- tional begins with the planning. “My team and I get involved with the planner and group’s vision for the F&B experi- ence from day one,” he says. “This way, we’re able to plan more seamlessly for menu adjustments and customizations based on tastes and dietary preferences. Food is one of the most memorable experiences of any event, and our immediate and consistent involvement in the planning pro- cess is one of the key ingredi- ents to our team’s success.” A Conceptualized Experience In this vein, to cre- ate the desired ambi- ance, whether one of comfort and class, evoking the vibe and feel of the event’s loca- tion or creating a truly modern luxury experi- ence, Tanner thinks with all exceptional events, the theme can be felt from start to finish, he says, adding: “[These] intangible fac- tors can lift an event from good to great when the vision of the event is met on all levels.” Murray describes his and his team’s effort as trying to create “a true conceptualized experience like you would get in a restaurant.” He says, “Most great restaurants don’t just have great food, they have a great story with food, décor, ser- vice, china/flatware, music and more that all tie into the F&B experience to make it great.” Murray details the seamless execution of a “conceptual- ized approach” at the Conrad. “Here, we are a very art for- ward venue, and we took great pride in leaning into that. We, of course, work to partner with groups on individual group wants, but our catering menus are conceptualized to tie into the art of the hotel,” he says. “For exam- ple the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu is called the ‘color wheel’ and has two sections to it. ‘Warm hues’ make up the hot hors d’oeuvres and ‘cold hues’ make up the cold ones. When choosing your menu for an event, this is the beginning of mak- ing your reception an art piece that works in harmony with the design of the hotel. From there, you may move on to your plated dinner where you are select- ing from sections called the ‘foreground,’ ‘middle ground’ and ‘finishing touches’ to form the courses of your meal. All the while we focus on the all-important components of creativity, locally sourced, sustainability and seasonality. The end result is a start to finish experience that really makes sense and, in my opin- ion, stands apart.” A conceptualized, synergistic approach is also top of Tanner’s mind as he describes his culinary experience dis- covering how to balance the flavors in one dish: “Working in Asia for nearly 10 years shaped my philosophy of creat- ing a dish, getting all the taste buds energized in the goal of achieving ‘umami,’ where you try to stimulate every part of the palette in one dish — salty, savory, sweet, bitterness, for example,” he says. “I cook to achieve a balance between the key tastes on the palate, like pairing wine with a great dish when all the flavors come together to elevate every- thing even more.” Less is More Tanner’s evolution as a chef has led to his current culi- nary philosophy that “less is more.” In fact, he says, “Ingre- dient-driven cuisine with proper cooking techniques is hard to fault.” Grover agrees, saying the inspiration behind most of his dishes are the ingredients. “I like keeping it simple and using the best seasonal produce available,” he says. “With the right produce, it’s hard to go wrong. I want my dishes to be com- forting whilst still being luxurious.” It’s that focus on an approachable culinary style with attention to detail that drives Peddle’s philosophy as well. “The best ingredients prepared thoughtfully allows the food to shine,” he says. A less-is-more approach is also the philosophy behind the goal of these chefs to create a relaxed atmosphere that isn’t intrusive. “The quality of the ambiance and food should be at a level that is naturally so good it doesn’t require the attendees to think/talk about it,” Grover says. “At the end of the day, the meeting is not focused on the food, but the meeting itself.” C o u r t e s y o f D e w e y L o Sas s o C o u r t e s y o f J o s h u a M u r r a y TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | December 2022 27A Customized Approach Karen Devine, CITP, CEO & founder of 3D Cruise Part- ners, cites the high-level dining selections as the deciding factor in many of her clients choosing a luxury, custom- ized cruise experience to host their conferences and events. From Devine’s perspective, “culinary experiences at sea have become not just a surprise and delight any longer, rather an anticipated, and almost expected, experience.” She says, “So many cruise lines have relationships with top chefs and restaurants globally, and the ability to experience diverse dining at sea is now more prevalent than ever.” She adds, “[One] particular client, because she chartered the ship, was not only able to cus- tomize the menu choices based on her guests’ preferences, but also surprise them with a wide choice of dining options from the existing offerings. The attend- ees were delighted to see the deck dinner, not something normally offered on many ships, that had been set up and customized from a décor and F&B perspec- tive just for them.” For Tanner, a custom- ized approach means creating bespoke experiences for each individual planner. For example, Tanner had a recent client who wanted strict sustainability efforts throughout the corporate event. The culinary team provided a number of special touches to exceed expectations, such as all plastics being removed from the meeting room, but the prop- erty’s executive chef spoke to the group about the locally sourced foods and beverages on the menu “with an emphasis on local must-try items,” since so often conference attendees leave a destination without ever having tried the food and beverages unique to the region. “If you haven’t been to Grand Rapids before, you might not know what’s here,” Tanner says. “Grand Rapids is known as beer city, but also has made its mark on the culinary scene with the olive burger, wet bur- rito, warm Fruit Ridge apple cider and doughnut holes in the fall, so we bring in some of those must-try elements as well just so people have that experience.” Trusted Partnerships If there’s one truism that has evolved from the global COVID-19 pandemic, meeting planners and culinary professionals alike attest to the value of nurturing trusted partner relationships whether between planner and the venue’s F&B team, or between the F&B team and their vendors. “The pandemic forced us to learn and adapt very quickly,“ Peddle says. “Our long-standing relationships with our distributors and suppliers proved to be so valuable, ensuring we were able to continue receiving the ingredients we needed to operate our restaurants and serve our guests. These days, we’re planning not just for the next three weeks, but for the next three months.” Tanner says there is a trust that needs to be built between the two sides, which for him means, “Give our culinary team the freedom to make your events exceptional, and we will,” he says. Chadwick says the ideal corporate meet- ing planner partner would be someone who allows him the creative free- dom to develop and take charge of the event menus. “I love offer- ing a completely unique and authentic menu that leaves their ... meal instilled in their memories.” he says. “With that creative culi- nary freedom, I’ll infuse locally sourced and non- traditional ingredients into my menus to sur- prise and delight their attendees with unex- pected new recipes.” These one-of-a-kind offerings reflect what chefs are aiming to create more of across the entire industry, Agu- irre says. “I am always looking for those wow moments. I get inspired by thinking about how I can re-create a dish that I see or eat in an elevated way with my knowledge of different cuisines. I love to weave my knowledge of Central American cuisine into my cooking.” Grant Morgan, executive concept chef at Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, strives to create ambiance that is reflective of Fort Worth’s distinctly Texas appeal and of Hotel Drover’s atmosphere, and he draws inspiration from local products. “When a farmer or rancher brings me an ingredi- ent, I use that ingredient to inspire a new dish.” Consequently, Morgan appreciates and respects corpo- rate meeting planners who are open to discovery: “Someone that is interested in learning about and including regional cuisine to enhance their overall goals,” he says, and goes on to advise planners to look for venues where the chef is willing to work with planners to create an experience that is catered to them. “Don’t just settle for the deli platter for lunch or the chicken buffet for dinner,” he says. Murray, echoing the other comments, says the perfect meeting planner client is one who is a partner. “This means we are in it together. I relish the ability to understand what they want to accomplish and then allowing the team here to partner with them to exceed those expectations,” he says. “I want them to know that we understand planning a meeting is a major responsibility that comes with a lot of stress. The C o u rt esy o f De w ey L o S a s s o 28 December 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comfood and beverage team here knows that, and we are here to make the food and beverage side of it a distant worry and the highlight for their event.” Clear Communication Within trusted partnerships, clear communication is key to building successful meeting events. “I like working with meeting planners who know their internal customers so we can create the right experience,” Aguirre says. Clearly communicating their understanding of the cus- tomer to the F&B team naturally follows. “The most impor- tant part is that the client is able to give us a clear vision of the event and make sure we build upon that theme,” Tanner says. “Elevating an ordinary event into a top-notch experience happens when the vision of the event is met on all levels. This is possible with the whole team coming together and delivering the best product we can.” Grover acknowledges “whilst run- ning a busy and successful kitchen, I have to be quite specific about what I want to focus on at a certain time,” he says. “Tim- ing is really important for us. We are always grateful when planners are really clear about what they need and when they need it. This helps us to not interrupt important meetings at the wrong time.” For Dewey LoSasso, corpo- rate executive chef at Bill Han- sen Catering & Event Production, what elevates the overall culinary experience is the interaction between the end client and the chef. “It’s sort of an informal, organic interview,” he says. Toward that end, his image of the ideal corporate meeting planner partner is one where “a planner comes to the table with end- client data that is clear and concise, a planner who is open to a culinary brainstorming session that partners with us on logistics, as well as food and beverage.” Peddle also notes that “A great communicator — someone who truly understands their group — makes all the differ- ence in allowing us to make the magic happen from our side.” However, even if planners don’t have a clear vision for their events, a great chef can ease the planner’s worries. “Just come to us, and we will make your culinary vision happen,” Aguirre says. “If you don’t have a clear vision, let us help to guide and craft your experience. We want to make your meeting distinctive. We have a well-seasoned team and a fan- tastic property that can offer endless options when it comes to activations and execution.” LoSasso says there is never a wrong question. “For that matter, we take to heart ideas from planners and execute them beyond the scope of a simple catering company,” he says. “Planners are conduits to an amazing experience. What we do is source a product, fabricate a product, execute a product and get a reaction on that product, normally in a three- to four-day window. Meeting planners are instrumen- tal in all aspects of that process. We are not making cars that may sit on a lot for a year. We create experiences and memories in an instant. When done right, it’s astonishing and will leave a lasting impact.” Devine, in fact, implores planners considering a cruise event to “ask questions of the cruise line — par- ticularly for a charter, as that is easy to do with customized menu choices; but even for a group on a regular cruise,” she says. “Find out if a dinearound can be done at sea, as many ships allow this now. Or find out if a particular restaurant can be taken over for your group and customize the menu. Choose your ship in the destination you are interested in by looking into the culinary offer- ings and ensuring there are venues that meet your guests’ interests, or offer some unique and different approaches to F&B vs. just a restaurant on board.” For his part, LoSasso says: “All of this is dictated by ... truly listening to the meeting planner. We want attendees to leave an event knowing that we cared about them.” Peddle agrees: “Listening and understanding the group dynamics is essential. Every group and event are different, so planning and communicating in advance allows us to cre- ate something personalized that suits each meeting perfectly, giving the attendees an opportunity to enjoy a superb snack or meal and refresh before their next session.” C&IT C o u r t e s y o f A d a m Tanne r TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | December 2022 29 We are not making cars that may sit on a lot for a year. We create experiences and memories in an instant. When done right, it’s astonishing and will leave a lasting impact. DEWEY L o SASSO, Corporate Executive Chef at Bill Hansen Catering & Event ProductionNext >