Dive Brief:
- 2025 will be the “year of the meetings maximizer” according to Hilton, which launched its first-ever trends report for the meetings and events industry Tuesday.
- “Maximizers,” which include event planners and attendees, seek “to make the most of in-person connection, their network and time together,” Kelly Knowlen, Hilton’s vice president of sales engagement and special events, wrote in the report.
- In addition to the report, Hilton also released the World’s Most Welcoming Events Playbook, containing tips for event planners as the company hopes to capitalize on increased demand for group travel.
Dive Insight:
Hilton’s report uncovered meeting trends across generations through a survey of 1,000 adults planning to attend an in-person work meeting or event over the next two years.
When it comes to preparing ahead of time, 71% of event attendees feel more welcomed at in-person meetings when they receive an agenda in advance, 61% if they receive a greeting as they enter the event and 59% if they have the ability to text a number that can answer their questions.
Some 60% of attendees also report reduced anxieties when they have food menus sent in advance, 52% if there are nonalcoholic drink options and 52% if there are food options available for people with allergies, Hilton found.
Some 79% of Gen Z attendees, in particular, feel “at least a little anxious” about not having the right attire at a work event. According to Hilton, sharing attire guidelines can help 67% of attendees feel more prepared.
Meanwhile, 78% of attendees said they need breaks or time for themselves while attending work events, with 65% saying dedicated quiet areas to work help them feel more comfortable, per the report.
Social time, however, is also important, with 71% saying they’ve met someone at a work event who has helped them further their career. Attendees also vastly prefer (82%) to go to meetings if they are with somebody they know, the report noted.
Hilton’s travel trends report, published in October, also touched on the trend, with 29% of global travelers say they “often” travel for leisure with friends who are also colleagues (or, as Hilton calls them, “frolleagues”).
October’s travel trends report also focused on “maximizing,” forecasting that leisure hotel guests in 2025 will seek “high-impact” experiences that make the most of their time and money on vacation.
Choice Hotels International’s latest global ad campaign, launched earlier this month, also zeroed in on “maximizing,” with actor and writer Keegan-Michael Key portraying a character called the “Vacation Maximization-er.”
In tandem with its meetings and events trends report, Hilton released a playbook for event planners with tips “intended to set a new standard of hospitality by supporting our customers with the right insights and tools to encourage meaningful moments of connection,” Chris Silcock, Hilton’s president of global brands and commercial services, said in a statement.
“Understanding the changing needs of customers and attendees and acting quickly to evolve and innovate is pivotal to propelling our industry forward,” added Frank Passanante, Hilton’s senior vice president, global head of sales and HRCC.
