Francisco Jose Jimenez, general manager of the Dolce Sitges Conference Center in Barcelona, has seen a number of compelling recent trends at his sprawling property. His intriguing input echoes some of the key trends we’ve seen elsewhere, and also includes some unique and specific gems of its own:
“We certainly have seen changes in how companies, meeting planners and trainers are handling groups that need to be trained/educated.
There is no longer a static approach to meetings; rather, organizers are focused on the unusual or unique elements they can use to increase and maximize productivity. Meetings nowadays are more dynamic, oftentimes we will see two or three trainers conducting sessions at once, all aligned and combined in terms of meeting design and execution so that trainees learn and retain more information, thereby increasing the ROI and value for those trainees and their companies.
The format we see used most often is cabaret-style (half-round tables with a maximum of six trainees), all with perfect views of the trainers and the rest of the assistants or presenters. This format not only provides the ability to network more productively, but also the ability to change the way the tables are organized to create energetic, dynamic sessions intended to develop a higher connection among participants. It allows them to be involved from scratch in discussion topics and to create value in the process, so everyone can feel the value of the training session through participation.
Additionally—and this is very common at Dolce Sitges due to the many beautiful public spaces and outdoor areas, including terraces, that benefit from the great weather we have in Sitges all-year round (over 300 days of sunshine per year)—meetings are very often split in smaller groups of attendees with tasks to complete in different spaces and timeframes. The work is then shared later with the rest of the attendees so topics are approached from different points of view.
This also means that PowerPoint presentations are not as important as they used to be. Nowadays, they have fewer slides and less key points per slide, serving instead as the starting point for discussions rather than the focus point. Tools like social media reviews, smartphones, experience exchange and others are of greater use than ever, since most of the meetings held at our property are with well-experienced and talented attendees.
Last but not least, leisure time is valued highly during meetings. The training time is extremely important, but the breaks and the leisure time can be equally so; those times are when people are focused on connecting, on having communal experiences that can enhance the conversation among attendees. Again, this ultimately provides an added value to the training that improves ROI.”
