The attendee experience is at the heart of every event. The venue, event messaging, creative signage and branding are all key elements impacting the experience, but an oft-overlooked aspect is attendee wellness. Wellness activations can help attendees feel energized and appreciated while they decompress from the busy days filled with travel and stimulation. Without wellness amenities woven throughout the event agenda, you risk attendees feeling burned out and distracted rather than empowered and excited to engage with your content.
Over the past few years, the Hilton Special Events team has focused its efforts on infusing physical and mental wellness experiences at some of our largest conferences. Below are a couple recent examples of how we’ve showcased attendee wellness at our events:
Americas Leadership Conference 2022
Within the “Network Hub” at ALC 2022, we featured a “Wellness Lounge” where we partnered with wellness vendors to showcase different products and brands. Within the lounge, attendees enjoyed express massages, skin care kits, facials, compression machines, and aroma therapy services. Outside of the Network Hub, we also hosted interactive fitness classes with partners including Peloton and Hydrow.
Global Owners Conference 2022
At our recent Global Owners Conference, we partnered with Universal Companies, one of Hilton’s largest wellness partners. Within the “Network Hub”, we featured a dedicated wellness area where attendees could learn about different health products and innovations. We also hosted a Peloton activation on the main conference floor where Owners could explore the different exercise equipment and discuss partnership opportunities with brand representatives.
QUICK TIPS: Activate Wellness in New Ways
- Understand your audience to determine what types of products will resonate with attendees.
- Tap into existing partnerships and find ways to build new ones.
- Offer “pop-up” wellness experiences to your M&E clients that can be temporarily activated for attendees at your hotel for a meeting, conference, or event.
- Consider developing wellness packages that might include short treatments, classes, or relaxation experiences that can help attendees recharge after the intensity of networking and breakout sessions.
- Utilize extra meeting space or outdoor space for innovative wellness activations.
- Consider partnering with local wellness practitioners, fitness class instructors, or wellness businesses to develop and deliver offerings.
- Differentiate your VIP experiences with personalized amenities like skin care or aromatherapy kits. Create custom incentives and corporate gifts featuring unique wellness products.
- Consider the environment and ambiance you are looking to create. Ensure the colors and décor closely align with the overall event branding.
- Activate underutilized space around your Fitness Center, Lobby, or Poolside by turning the space into a Recovery Area.
- If you have a spa, incorporating recovery-focused items into your offerings is also a great way to bring the latest wellness innovations to your guests.
Curious to learn more about this topic? Check out the latest whitepaper – “Why Delegate Welfare Takes Top Priority in 2023” – to dive deeper into how attendee wellness at events has become a key priority for meeting planners in 2023.
