Creative innovation
DEN talks to Julie White , Wyndham Hotels & Resorts ’ vice president of commercial Europe , Middle East , Eurasia and Africa , on how the business has adapted for the times
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the world ’ s largest hotel franchising company by number of properties , with approximately 9,000 hotels across 90 countries . The organisation , which includes familiar brands such as Ramada by Wyndham ®, Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham ® and Wyndham Grand ®, has moved quickly to adapt its conference and meeting offering to meet the needs of client demand .
This change has seen a greater demand for digital and hybrid event solutions , and Wyndham ’ s new initiative , which has been rolled out at Dolce hotels in Europe , provides organisers with services including live streaming to separate Dolce meeting rooms in the same location , large-scale online conferences , and on-site broadcast studios connecting various Dolce hotels across Europe .
To understand more , we spoke to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts ’ vice president of commercial Europe , Middle East , Eurasia and Africa , Julie White .
Can you explain these new hybrid meeting capabilities at Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham , and why you have decided to roll these out now ?
With increasing restrictions on travel and event size , we recognised the need to create an alternative solution until conventional face-to-face events are possible again . 2020 has been a year of virtual interactions for many and we wanted to bring something different to combine the best of both worlds by allowing attendees to join a live event while keeping the engagement high .
Our Dolce brand is well-known for providing a creative take on meetings , incentives , conferences and exhibitions ( MICE ) and was the perfect fit to launch the concept . Whether through live streaming to meeting rooms in the same location , large conferences or broadcast studios connecting Dolce hotels in Europe , the initiative is designed to support businesses without compromising on the professional experience they require .
Explain the benefits of hosting hybrid events over a purely online one ?
Hybrid combines the ease of virtual with the energy of in-person connections . Attendees are more engaged and fulfilled than any wholly virtual event . Through the use of top technology and support , as well as re-imagined project management , the concept creates an immersive experience where online attendees can interact with speakers and other guests as if they are all present in the room .
Engaging your audience is vital in a hybrid setting , how is this done ?
We offer a variety of experiences to help virtual and in-person attendees interact . Businesses can select a Dolce by Wyndham approved event moderator to help promote remote participation and active discussion throughout the event . Businesses can also run live polls and Q & A sessions to keep virtual attendees engaged . Another way to encourage dialogue among attendees is to hold virtual hangouts where attendees are given the opportunity to get to network just as they would during an in-person