SPECIAL REPORT
while group remains quite consistent to its contribution levels in 2019 . Corporate , association , social and , to some extent , tour and travel , all have shown strength , he said , and incentives continue to be strong .
Hilton , said Passanante , has seen strong demand for small and regional business meetings and attendance at large association and conventions as business continues to recover . Another segment that has shown growth , he said , is incentive travel .
In response to the global interest in incentive business , Hilton launched the Hilton Incentive Collaborative , which directly addresses curated offers with purpose and experiences that bring the local culture into events .
Planners are looking for new locations to excite attendees , said Passanante , and there is increased interest in resort and all-inclusive locations , with planners
BUSINESS IS STRONG FOR SMALLER MEETINGS AND INCENTIVES , WITH AN AVERAGE GROUP SIZE OF AROUND 45 ROOMS
– CHERYL WILLIAMS , CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER , PREFERRED HOTELS & RESORTS
The Sonesta Work Suite at The Royal Sonesta Washington , DC Capitol Hill provides a multizone and tech-enabled meeting experience .
gravitating toward an all-in-one approach to maximize the attendee experience and ease of planning . For example , in the first half of 2023 , group bookings at Hilton allinclusive resorts increased by double digits year-over-year .
Hotels have made physical changes to accommodate new group demands . The “ Sonesta Work Suite ,” said Macaluso , is an experiential , multi-zone meeting space concept that offers an innovative meeting room design and services to enhance collaboration . The concept , he said , combines the qualities of traditional office and coworking space with hotel amenities .
Business is strong for smaller meetings and incentives , with an average group size of around 45 rooms , said Preferred ’ s Williams . To support the continued increase in the number of unique leads in social groups , she said , Preferred will launch a VIP Group Desk later this year . Also , to meet growing demand , Preferred has launched a new group business development department for Europe and has added to its sales team there . In addition , and in preparation for increasing demand in group travel to and from India , the company has added to its sales team in that country .
THOUGH TRAVELER AND BUSINESS PREFERENCES HAVE CHANGED AND EVOLVED OVER TIME , IN-PERSON MEETINGS , EVENTS AND INTERACTIONS DRIVE BUSINESS , STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AND MOVE THE WORLD FORWARD
– FRANK PASSANANTE , SVP AND GLOBAL HEAD OF SALES , HILTON
10 hotelsmag . com May / June 2024