Meetings Matter Chatter
Industry trends and topics pertaining to the travel and meetings industry
Meetings Matter Chatter
The Best & Worst Trends of 2023
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It's hard to believe we're already in 2024, but 2023 was another successful, whirlwind of a year. Hear some of the highlights of the year as I chat with two of BCD's finest from the Venue Search and Meeting Solutions team, Regan Furtado and Erin Daoust to hear their insights into 2023.
All right, and welcome to the latest episode of Meetings Matter Chatter. I'm your host, Nikki McLean, account director for BCD's venue search and meetings solutions department. And today we are talking with a few of our internal teammates. We've got Reagan Fertado, who's a venue sourcing consultant from our U.S. venue sourcing team, and Erin Doust from a program manager from our Meeting Solutions team. I'm so glad to have you both on the podcast today. Thank you for joining me. Yeah, thanks for having us, Nikki.
SPEAKER_02We are very happy to be here.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. Well, I asked you to be a part of this episode because we are going to discuss the best and worst trends of 2023. So this was an episode, actually, I think our first episode that we did in uh February of 23, so last year, and it talked about 2022 best and worst trends. And ironically, it ended up being a hit. So I hope that listeners will appreciate the insight that you're both going to bring to today's episode and kind of let us know what transpired this past year in the meetings and events industry. So I kind of broke it out in a couple different topics. So we'll just go ahead and dive in here. So let's start on a positive note. It's 2024. We're looking back at last year. Reagan, what's one trend that you experienced in 2023 that you'd like to actually stick around for this year and possibly even beyond?
SPEAKER_00I have to say that more emphasis is being put on attendee comfort and well-being. So that's allowing for a more creative take on hotel sourcing. We're often looking for unique spaces within hotels, repurposing restaurants or other hotel outlets. We're ensuring that there's ample space for soft seating instead of those traditional banquet sets. We've also been using outdoor venues as much as possible to get the attendees into fresh air and sunlight. What we're seeing now is that clients want experiences, not just meetings.
SPEAKER_01Now, I love this and I agree with you. I think, Erin, from a planning standpoint, are you seeing any of this with anything that you're planning and when you're looking at off-site venues?
SPEAKER_02Most definitely. Clients are definitely getting away, like Reagan said, from like those traditional banquet sets, classroom. Those are kind of going by the wayside a lot more focused on the attendees' comfort and with the hope that that will foster more creativity and engage everybody a little bit more. Same thing with team building activities and keynote speakers and even masters of ceremonies. And we're not really planning meetings exactly. We're tasked now with creating unique experiences that just happen to have a specific focus.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I like that you're calling them experiences and not just meetings. Now let's go to kind of the opposite side of this. What's the trend that you would like to go away? Reagan, we'll start with you.
SPEAKER_00Overall, there are still many people who are cautious about traveling between being in this post-pandemic environment combined with a very tough economy. So we're seeing extended timelines for clients to make decisions due to their tightened budget concerns. We're seeing insecurity around committing to travel and uncertainty around the number of attendees that are willing to participate in these programs. At the same time, hotels aren't holding space when they're submitting their proposals. And even once they're shortlisted, they'll only hold for a short amount of time due to compression and availability.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've heard you guys say, you know, on various team calls that these shortened timelines are pretty tough. And it's honestly maybe going to hopefully drive client or booking behavior. I mean, I know it's tough to advise them that they shouldn't take months to make a decision, but the space is just not going to be there. And you don't want them to lose it wherever possible. Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00The current market environment, there are always other groups nipping at our heels. They're ready to scoop up that space if we don't move to contract. And then once we do, there are terms that we're seeing need additional focus. So in the past, a 20% attrition allowance was an industry norm. Right now, we're seeing hotels push this to 10%, maybe 15%. And that doesn't align with the client uncertainty around attendance.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I bet they're not really wanting to sign terms like that. Erin, does the lead time affect any of the non-hotel like venue sourcing that you're doing if you're looking at restaurants? And are they really starting to crack down on deposits, payments? I know it was a trend a couple of years ago where everyone's like, I don't want to pay a deposit, but I bet that's gone away too.
SPEAKER_02Uh it is absolutely gone away. Um, a lot of non-hotel venues, they're you know kind of acting in tangent with with hotels. They're following that market trends as well. A lot of venues are requiring 100% prepayment, sometimes even a like a 20% contingency overpayment as well for um wow. Yep, for um any day of additions. Um now there is some flexibility if if the client has worked with that particular venue in the past, there is that um a little bit of flexibility there, but no, they're uh being very hard-nosed. Um and then when clients are hesitating, like Reagan said too, to make these quick decisions, you know, all the effort of sourcing these really cool, unique non-hotel venues is gone because somebody else is snapping it up. And then we're back to square one. Um, and then yeah, it's um been the cause of more than one uncomfortable conversation with a client for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that doesn't sound like something I'd want to discuss with them. I'm glad that you're the one doing that and helping find them these great venues. Um, no, that's really interesting because I think that these are things that our listeners and our clients need to hear that it's definitely changing in this new environment. And for sure you saw that over the last year. Um, okay, so let's take a look at what other trends are you kind of seeing or experiencing, Reagan, from your perspective.
SPEAKER_00Sustainability is back in the picture. So pre-pandemic, we were starting to see this topic grow. And unfortunately, during COVID, the ability to push for sustainability within events was hindered. We started seeing disposable plates and utensils again, you know, one-time use box meal packaging. Um, all of a sudden, you know, those disposable water bottles or disposable cups were being used instead of shared carabs, um, individual toiletries in the guest rooms, all of those things started to come back during the pandemic. Now, sustainability is becoming a decision-making factor for clients again. So the clients are looking for hotels that already have sustainability measures in place, like the Archer Redmond uses a local coffee grower to supply the hotel, or all Hilton properties partner with Climco to offset the carbon emissions of their events. So, right now, I'm sourcing the Grand Wileia Waldorf, and they provided an event impact estimate along with their proposal that shows the environmental impact of the group along with the measures that are in place at the hotel to minimize it. Clients also want to hear about how that sustainability, those sustainability measures are going to affect individual guest days, like offering bottled water alternatives or using eco-friendly room keys like at the NED London.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's really awesome that they are providing that report as they're responding back to the RFP. Are you finding that the clients are that's resonating with them to see that additional information?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I think certain clients, more so than others, are really putting a big emphasis on sustainability right now. So it can go a long way when they're just front-facing how that impact is going to affect the group right from the get-go.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And what about food? I know that was something that changed, you know, no longer were there buffets. Like what are you seeing from that standpoint?
SPEAKER_00We are still seeing buffets. Um, you know, those are back for sure. And um I think that's gonna stay, you know, these groups, uh, it makes it much easier for them to have quick lunches and a lot of options, especially in this current world where we have a lot of folks with um, you know, dietary restrictions or dietary preferences. It's it's a bit more difficult to have a plated meal that you have to select two or three entree options. Um, so those buffets are here to stay. Certainly, we're not in a place anymore where we need to have chef attendants serving out the buffets or sneeze guards or anything like that. So I think we're back to the norm on the buffet front. Okay, that's good to know.
SPEAKER_01And what about Erin? What are you seeing like as you guys are you know planning these experiences or coordinating some of the logistics with your meeting owners?
SPEAKER_02Um, I would agree with with Reagan in that during like the RFP process, clients are really interested in seeing the sustainability initiatives of the of each venue. However, when it actually comes down to starting to plan the meeting, really the individual attendee comfort is what takes precedence. So I may have um contracted with a hotel that has, you know, no single-use plastics and things like that. But then once we actually get down to it, we're ordering those on-site, the classics, uh bottled water, um, disposable cups, things of that nature, because like kind of going back to what we said earlier, that client or individual attendees still are a little bit uncomfortable in this post-COVID era. Um, but it's um I think it's it's a nice to have, but it's not necessarily happening as sustainably as I would personally would like to see. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I know we've touched on attendee comfort a couple times already, but you know, one other thing that we're seeing in regards to attendee comfort is clients considering second-tier cities that are drivable for attendees rather than flying everyone to a major hub city. So we have clients that are local to places like Mobile, Alabama, Plano, Texas, Herndon, Virginia. And we've placed a lot of programs there in 2023.
SPEAKER_01You know, it's interesting that you mention kind of what I would call second-tier cities, is because, you know, a lot of our clients, if we look at our data, they focus on some of the larger meeting cities like Orlando, Chicago, you know, definitely certain parts of Texas and other cities in Florida that are, you know, more beach kind of resort locations. But I like seeing that, you know, you're able to convince some of the clients to go to these other destinations because they have great, you know, hotels and venues to offer and great restaurants and things to do in those cities. I think that that's promising.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Those major hub cities, they're always going to be popular destinations because of the ease of lift, the large venue options, um, they will always be popular. We've also seen Nashville get um very popular over the past few years, and they will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I would agree. Um, I think that the rise in the second-tier cities is uh for a couple of reasons. Um, having people fly versus drive or drive versus fly rather. And then um I've also seen where maybe somebody in the past has had a large, you know, maybe national sales meeting in Orlando. Um, instead of having one big one, they're splitting it up into potentially like three different meetings. So one on East Coast, one on the West Coast, and then one in the Midwest. So it's easier for people to get to. Um, and I don't know if that's necessary. I think part of it is cost, but I think it's still that comfort level. Again, you know, it's nicer and more comfortable to stay in your personal vehicle versus getting on a plane with a bunch of people who may have all sorts of uh nasty viruses sitting next to you.
SPEAKER_00Well, and Aaron, to your point, um sorry to interrupt, but to your point, having those regional meetings also you're interacting with fewer people face to face. So if in if anyone is uncomfortable gathering, um, you know, still in this post-pandemic environment, uh, you know, that helps minimize it a little bit because you're limiting your exposure.
SPEAKER_02For sure. Absolutely. And I think um kind of back to not only comfort, sustainability, uh, I think cost is always a factor for those um second-tier, third-tier cities. Um, you know, maybe we're uh I'm seeing like a lot of um companies source outside of those major tiers. So Nashville, you mentioned that as an example. Um and so we're going close to those cities, but more in the suburbs, and parking is going to be more plentiful, the overall cost of the venues are going to be a little bit more um you know budget friendly, and then availability is is better as well. So we might start this the search in Nashville, but then end up in um Crossville just because Nashville is looked up, but for whatever reason.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because it sounds like it's really popular. Um so we talked about a lot of US, you know, destinations, but I I definitely feel like there was international travel and meetings that took place this year. Is there anything internationally that you're both seeing from cities that popped up or you know, clients that were looking to go outside the US because they maybe did feel comfortable?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. You know, there's always the usual suspects internationally as well. Um, however, this past year, I've seen increasing interest in Colombia, particularly in Medai, which was interesting. Um, Lisbon, Portugal was also in high demand last year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, those are interesting. Um, I wonder what the airlift is into Colombia. Like I'm guessing you can get there from a lot of East Coast and well, and West Coast, you know, locations, but um, it's also sort of in the same time zone, depending on um, it seems far away, but it could still be Eastern or Central time zone, right?
SPEAKER_00Sure. Yeah, and we have a lot of clients who are based in California, where you know it's very easy to get to, or even clients who are based in Mexico, which that is a hop, skip, and a jump for them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, a little bit more to get there. Yeah. Um, so after the main venue is sourced, you know, Aaron, what kind of non-hotel venues are you seeing that customers are requesting? Like obviously dinners and like I'm I'm sure team building is still relevant, but like what are some trends that you can share that kind of coincide with the main venue?
SPEAKER_02There's still a lot of the usual suspects, like the steakhouses and and the like for private dining. But I've I have seen more emphasis again on experience. So a lot of companies, you know, I'm having these discovery calls and figuring out what they what their goals are. They're like, you know, we really just want to get together. We haven't really gathered in like two years. So this is our opportunity to kind of let our hair down and hang out. And so um the bowling alley, like you know, the fancy bowling alleys, that's been a really big focus. Um, and things like that. Um, I did an indoor skydiving venue. How fun, which I I didn't travel on site for that, but I really wanted to. That seemed like so much fun. Um, and then one kind of interesting recent um example was that I had um a client in the air airplane industry that was interested in hosting an off-site dinner at the Advar Khazi Museum, which is an air and space museum. And I was like, I mean, yes, that is a no-brainer. Of course, you have to have your dinner. So things where they're just more focusing on, again, the experience and then going somewhere that isn't aligned with their um industry.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Oh, that sounds fun. I think the skydiving would be really interesting. I remember back in the day when I was a planner, it used to be let's go drink whiskey and shoot guns in like Tennessee or Kentucky. And I was like, whoa, maybe we should do that in a different order, but shoot guns first, drink later. But um, they always wanted to go for kind of the high risk activities. Is that still what you're seeing, or people more mellow these days?
SPEAKER_02I think it it's a little bit more mellow, you know. I I really thought the axe throwing thing would be uh very popular because it appeals to me. But it's it's uh people are shying away from that, especially when Blues is involved.
SPEAKER_01Exactly, exactly. Well, that's funny. Well, and Aaron, also in your role, um, you might be involved in helping with the website as well. And I know that like a website is a website or invite's an invite, but not necessarily. So I hate to kind of even generalize it like that. But are there any new things that clients are asking us to highlight during the registration process or how are they thinking about inviting people? Has that changed at all in the past year?
SPEAKER_02It hasn't really changed. Um, we're seeing a lot less notice when it comes to building a site, it's almost like an afterthought. Um so you know, that's a challenge. Um, I think, you know, anytime you have a shortened timeline, um, that that is definitely a challenge. But yeah, the overall goal of the websites is still to um make sure we're capturing all the data that we need to make a successful and seamless event. Um, and then if we do have an extended timeline, you know, then we can use it also as like a marketing tool to garner interest for the event as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Because I think, you know, sometimes the client sends out their own like save the date, whether it's just like an Outlook or a Google Calendar notice, and then the website is like the official invite, and then that's how you kind of keep everything in in line and organized, like who's coming, rooming list, food, you know, dietary restrictions, all that kind of good stuff. But I was just curious if anything had kind of changed from that perspective. Um, you talked about this a little bit, but like, are there any other activity trends that you're seeing that people are wanting to incorporate into the meeting or the experience that you're coordinating for them?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, like I said before, it's um, you know, giving back to the community is a very sought after sought-after activity in terms of team building. But again, the the focus seems to really just be like getting together, seeing each other truly face to face, um, maybe even meeting each other for the very first time, and um with a goal to you know garner creativity and uh team building. Um and then what I've seen thus far is that these requests for these off-site events are definitely less structured. So in the past, again, there would be like you know, building bikes for the community or stuffing backpacks and things of that nature. The ones that the requests that I'm seeing are coming in are definitely more uh or less structured, the focus being again, really just that face-to-face interaction, food, and booth. Um, that's I'm a fan of those, so I I'm definitely on board with that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I think sometimes we overstructure people, right? With the agendas and everything. It's like, let's just let people have time to chill too.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. Exactly. Um, one of a recent example I had was a client that wanted to um let people really just come and go as they please. Once the event was over in the afternoon, they had a game room set up and it had constant food and booths and then also all these cool games. There's like video games, cornhole, um, poker, things like that. And people could just come and go all night through, I think, till like midnight or 1 a.m. And that was really successful and the attendees really enjoyed it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's good because that gives people they can, if they need to go back to their room and do something for a little bit, or they maybe want to go work out or have a walk or call their family or something, and then they can come back and kind of still be a part of the meeting and engage with their coworkers, but then they don't feel like there's like this tight agenda they have to follow. So that's cool. Exactly. Yep.
SPEAKER_00And Aaron, I love that you set that up for them because I will say, even on the sort of the hotel sourcing side, I'm seeing clients ask us to focus on properties that have those gathering areas and on-site activities so that the attendees can just kind of gather together informally after the organized events. So I love that you were able to set that up at a property that maybe didn't already have it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it was fun.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I like that. What about um, I don't know, I'm a flower person. I always like the decor and the flowers. I mean, are people still spending money on that? Like, what are you seeing kind of trends as far as like adding, you know, whether it's color or you know, other things like that to the experience?
SPEAKER_02You know, I've noticed companies shying away from florals and decor in that traditional sense. Um, and it's sometimes it's because of cost, but I think it's also more of a creativity thing that they're looking for or sustainability. Sustainability. So I've had instances where they want the centerpieces to also be something that attendees can take away as like a giveaway from the event. And then in terms of F and D, that I I I kind of love and hate. So it makes menu selection really easy, but it's also that's kind of my favorite thing to do in planning is the menu selection. And hotels are now coming up with menus, they're like day of the week menus. So on Mondays and Wednesdays, they have these particular buffets for breakfast and lunch and dinner and you know for every day of the week. And so it does keep that variety. So like if you're there for an entire week, you can pick a menu on the date, the day of the week menu and definitely have that variety. Um and I think it's in an attempt to battle those raising food costs, it is truly um more, it's much easier to literally look at a menu and I'm like, well, it's on a Monday, I'm gonna pick the Monday buffet. And then you can select different um uh day of the week, like a Monday buffet on a on a Thursday, but there is an increase in price for that option. Um, and then these menus are also taking way more dietary restrictions into consideration. So it does I remember back in the day having to customize completely um, you know, weeklong um menus for groups because gluten-free wasn't taken into account vegetarian wasn't taken into account vegan, all of those things. So I had to come up with something, then work with the hotel and pricing, and it extended the whole planning um process quite a lot. But that's that's something that I think hotels are looking to avoid and they're doing it successfully. I like that.
SPEAKER_00Um, just want to pop in and say that from the hotel sourcing perspective, I've also seen clients make hotel decisions this past year based on built-in decor. So, for example, the live walk live moss walls in the ballrooms at the one hotel South Beach. So it feeds the desire for sustainability to Erin's point, and it also saves on cost.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's interesting that they're thinking about that before they're like, Yep, let's go with this this property. Probably saves them some money on any decor that they might be wanting to add. So I like that.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. The aesthetic of the property is becoming more and more important to the clients.
SPEAKER_02Agreed.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I like that too. I think, you know, it it's not necessarily about four walls and chairs and tables anymore. It's about the whole ambiance and the experience that you're talking about that attendees are are seeking from these experiences.
SPEAKER_02The vibe.
SPEAKER_01The vibe, exactly. Yeah. Um, so we dabbled on this a little bit, but like what other unique venues um are you being asked to source? You mentioned the Aaron Space Museum, like anything kind of unique or different that you think we should share.
SPEAKER_02Well, what makes a venue unique isn't just like the physical space or attributes, but how it aligns with the client's vision and the desired impact on the attendees. Um, it could be anything from like a historic museum, a cool rooftop bar, open top bus touring the city, or a like a architectural boat cruise. Um, but overall, our approach centers around understanding the client's objectives and the emotional resonance they're looking to create.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I mean, Erin, I know that you are like all-knowing and you have lots of information about many places around the country and the world. Same too, same with you, Reagan. But like, I know that um as a company, we value our relationships and partnerships with like CVBs, so Convention and Visitors Bureau. So for a listener who may not know anything about them and what they do or offer, what would you say is important about CVBs in both of your roles? And like, how do those relationships enhance your ability to help find like unique and exciting venues for your clients?
SPEAKER_02Well, definitely they're a treasure trove of information. You know, while, like you said, we do have a lot of knowledge on different locations, we aren't there in and you know, in every day. Um so my manager Miriam always says that strong relationships with CVBs are like having a treasure map to a city's most exciting venues and experience. So, unlike working solely with hotels where we typically rely on like NSOs or GSOs for support, CVBs are a go-to source for that vibrant non-hotel scene. Um they keep us informed about every new venue, bar, culinary hotspot that that comes up or is coming up. Um and then they also enable us to um be spontaneous when suggesting like unique exhibition space or really exclusive dining dining experience, which adds immense value to the service and that we provide our clients, helps keep us fresh and increases our knowledge base as well.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. And even when we're um doing hotel sourcing, it can be invaluable for us as well. Um, I had a recent example where I had a client who wanted to pop down to Orlando for a site inspection and visit Orlando was amazing. They jumped in last minute, helped arrange transfers from the airport, they helped um organize a site inspection of an off-site venue at SeaWorld and they really stepped up and wowed the client, and we ended up signing a large program down there. So they really can be invaluable from our perspective as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's awesome. And I think that, like you said, it really helped enhance that site visit that you were probably already coordinating, but made it like that much more memorable. And it's great that the client signed and booked something down there. I mean, that's ultimately their goal is to drive revenue to the city and the region that they're representing. So that's great. All right. Well, I feel like we've shared a lot of great information with the listeners, but we're gonna kind of leave with one final thought. And I know it's hard to narrow down to one thing, but Erin, what would you say is your final thought that you'd like to leave our listeners with today?
SPEAKER_02Oh, I have a good one. So for a successful event, I think lead time is key. You know, we're still seeing the effects of that false compression that was caused by the pandemic and events being pushed into the future versus just being outright canceled. And that will hopefully start to drop off in 2024, but it's still something that needs to be considered at this point. So the earlier we're we're able to start looking for a location, the sooner we can be able to start pulling off all the components together to accomplish the client's vision and goals. Um, and that's with everything, not just sourcing and contracting with the hotel, but also building the websites, sourcing and contracting those unique venues and experiences because everybody's buying for those same things. So the earlier, the better.
SPEAKER_00Love it. I could not agree more, Erin. And in addition to providing ample lead time, be ready to commit to a venue once those available options are presented. There is nothing more disappointing than finding the perfect venue and having it slip through your fingers because another group was ready to contract first.
SPEAKER_01A hundred percent agree with that. And I think if there's anything, listeners, that you heard in today's episode is lead time and be ready to sign and pay. Because, like you just said, we don't want those awesome places going away because it took too long with your internal processes to get there. So that would be a huge bummer. Well, thank you so much, ladies. I think um that you've given a lot of valuable um nuggets of information to share with the listeners. And I thank you all, listeners, for joining this latest episode of Meetings Matter Chatter. So thank you all for your time today.