In today’s rapidly evolving meetings and events landscape, personalization has emerged as a critical element in ensuring successful, impactful gatherings. No longer is it enough to offer a one-size-fits-all approach – clients and attendees now expect tailored experiences that reflect their specific needs, preferences, and goals. Hotels and meeting planners must work collaboratively to curate events that go beyond logistics, fostering deeper engagement and delivering lasting impressions. From integrating advanced technology to refining service touchpoints, personalization in events is redefining how meetings are designed and executed.
At Teneo Hospitality Group, we leverage insights from our client advisory board and facilitate peer-to-peer sessions to proactively foster meaningful connections between clients and venues. By engaging with industry leaders and decision-makers, we ensure that venues understand the evolving needs of meeting planners while helping our clients discover innovative solutions, emerging trends, and exclusive opportunities. This collaborative approach not only enhances strategic alignment but also drives more impactful and successful events.
Here are six takeaways to keep in mind to exceed meeting planner expectations.
1. The Role of Hotel CSMs in Crafting Tailored Experiences
One of the most effective ways to achieve event personalization is through a close partnership with the hotel’s Convention Services Managers (CSMs). CSMs play a pivotal role in the event planning process, acting as trusted advisors who bring invaluable knowledge about the property’s capabilities. By involving them early on in the process – especially during pre-event site visits – planners can develop stronger relationships, streamline event execution, and gain access to tailored solutions that align with the client’s vision. Their expertise helps optimize layouts, enhance on-site logistics, and ensure seamless service throughout the event, reinforcing a truly customized experience – from branded key cards and digital signage with company logos to setting up VIP check-in and welcome gifts.
2. Customizing Fees and Services
Beyond logistics, personalization also extends to financial structuring. Instead of a standardized resort fee, hotels can introduce group-specific fees tailored to deliver meaningful inclusions. Planners appreciate when fees reflect tangible value with amenities that go beyond the usual inclusions of a resort fee like pool access and Wi-Fi access. Think complimentary welcome activations, team-building activities, or even airport transfers. These thoughtful inclusions not only enhance attendee satisfaction but also allow planners to justify costs while demonstrating a commitment to delivering relevant benefits.
Service remains at the heart of personalization, and the resurgence of service-focused programs like “Marriott’s Red Coats” highlights the power of high-touch hospitality. This shift reflects a renewed commitment to delivering tailored service that fosters meaningful connections and elevates the attendee experience. Having dedicated, easily identifiable service professionals ensures that clients receive immediate attention and support during events. This level of service in turn fosters confidence, allowing planners to focus on the bigger picture while knowing that every detail is being handled with precision and care.
Another critical component of personalization is flexibility in event planning. By suggesting alternative seasonal dates and travel patterns, or customized packages, hotels empower planners to work within budget constraints while still achieving their event goals. Furthermore, understanding a hotel’s booking patterns – also recognized as “soft spots” – can create opportunities for more favorable rates, value-added benefits, and increased availability for exclusive buyouts. These strategic adjustments help planners align their events with both financial and experiential objectives, reinforcing the benefits of a tailored approach.
3. Curating Unique and Immersive Experiences
Technology has revolutionized personalization in hotel meetings, making it easier than ever to create bespoke experiences. AI-driven platforms like Cvent and Bizzabo can analyze attendee preferences, recommending relevant sessions, networking opportunities, and agenda modifications in real time. Hotels that incorporate personalized LED screens at check-in, branded digital signage, or curated welcome videos can enhance the guest experience before the meeting even begins. These small but impactful touches demonstrate a commitment to customization, making attendees feel valued from the moment they arrive.
In addition to digital enhancements, personalization thrives in curated experiential offerings. Many destinations and event production partners are embracing this concept, providing unique activations that immerse guests in memorable, one-of-a-kind experiences. Signature Group Events, for instance, has redefined personalized gifting at corporate gatherings by offering attendees the ability to select premium items like Tumi luggage or customized hats, and even stations where they can customize their own pair of Nike shoes.
Similarly, Omni Scottsdale’s Chef’s Kitchen is the perfect setting to craft intimate dining experiences where guests enjoy a private tasting centered around a specific theme, complemented by music and drinks. At Meritage Resort, pop-up dining experiences and interactive team-building cooking challenges at their Food & Wine Center – such as salsa-making competitions – bring a level of engagement that extends beyond traditional meal setups. These creative enhancements make each event feel distinct and thoughtful.
Further extending personalization into guest accommodations, properties like Margaritaville Resorts have introduced the Joe Merchant’s Coffee & Provisions concept, allowing guests to curate their own minibar selections with a credit system. This innovation ensures that attendees receive snacks and beverages tailored to their preferences, rather than standard, impersonal offerings.
Meal setups and break structures also provide ample opportunities for customization. Whether it’s a chef-led tasting, uniquely themed refreshment breaks, or interactive culinary activations, these elements enhance the overall event atmosphere and engagement. Hotels that involve chefs in the planning process – not just behind the scenes but as active participants delivering the vision – elevate the attendee experience and create a lasting impact.
Personalized branding opportunities within venues have also grown in popularity, allowing companies to extend their presence beyond traditional signage. At Caribe Royale, the all new Stadium Club offers extensive digital screens that can be customized with a client’s logo, colors, and messaging, transforming the space into a fully branded environment. Similarly, Hard Rock San Diego provides a unique penthouse setting where event organizers can incorporate music playlists, memorabilia scavenger hunts, and rooftop gatherings tailored to specific group preferences. These customizations allow attendees to feel immersed in a fully branded, high-impact setting that reinforces the company’s identity.
4. Sustainability as a Personalization Trend
Sustainability has also emerged as a key consideration in event personalization. Today’s travelers are more eco-conscious than ever, prompting hotels to provide options that align with sustainability goals. 1 Hotels, for example, offers Certified Sustainable Gathering options that prioritize sustainable materials and reduce environmental impact. Additionally, Paséa Hotel & Spa incentivizes guests to forgo housekeeping services in exchange for food and beverage credits, allowing attendees to personalize their stay while contributing to sustainability efforts.
5. Elevating Wellness and Well-Being
Personalization extends beyond logistics and branding – it also plays a crucial role in attendee well-being. More meeting planners are incorporating wellness-focused elements into their customized events to align with the growing demand for holistic experiences. Hotels that offer customizable wellness options, such as curated spa treatments, morning meditation sessions, or healthy dining choices tailored to dietary preferences, create an elevated experience for attendees.
Rancho Bernardo Inn, for example, integrates fresh, garden-to-table culinary activations that highlight wellness through nutritious ingredients. Similarly, hotels that provide wellness breakouts – such as guided stretching sessions or mindfulness workshops – demonstrate a deep understanding of attendee needs. By giving planners the flexibility to integrate these elements, hotels can create an environment that supports productivity, focus, and engagement.
6. Recognizing and Appreciating Meeting Planners
Beyond the immediate benefits of enhancing a single meeting or event, personalization fosters stronger long-term relationships between planners and hotels. When planners feel heard, valued, and understood, they are more likely to return to the same property or brand for future events. A hotel’s ability to anticipate a planner’s needs – whether by remembering their preferred room setups, providing consistent staff contacts, or proactively suggesting enhancements based on past experiences – creates a sense of trust and reliability. Hotels that track client preferences through detailed profile forms and CRM systems can proactively personalize future meetings, making the planning process smoother and more efficient each time. This level of attentiveness transforms a one-time booking into an ongoing partnership, benefiting both the hotel and the planner.
Recognition and appreciation remain essential components of a personalized approach. Meeting planners invest significant effort into orchestrating seamless personalized events, and hotels that acknowledge their contributions foster deeper loyalty and long-term partnerships. Personalized welcome gifts, handwritten notes, and leadership recognition – such as direct calls from hotel executives thanking planners for their business – demonstrate a level of care and appreciation that sets properties apart. This goes beyond the primary planner and should apply to the on-site team as well.
Additionally, recognizing planners publicly – whether through welcome plaques, digital displays, or acknowledgments on hotel websites – reinforces the value of their work and strengthens the relationship between planners and hotel teams.
The Power of Personalization in Meetings and Events
As personalization continues to shape the future of meetings and events, the most successful gatherings will be those that embrace creativity, flexibility, and attentiveness to client needs. From customized technology integrations to experiential activations and thoughtful service enhancements, the ability to tailor each detail ensures that events resonate on a deeper level.
Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com.
About Teneo Hospitality Group
Teneo Hospitality Group is a luxury hotel representation firm comprised of a team of highly experienced sales professionals with long-standing relationships with premier meeting planning professionals in the meetings industry. Clients rely on Teneo for their expertise and to find the perfect fit within Teneo’s member portfolio. With over 400 meeting hotels and DMCs worldwide, members trust Teneo to act as an extension of their sales team. Built on relationships, Teneo is committed to understanding clients’ needs and delivering optimal solutions from its exceptional portfolio.. Visit teneohg.com
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