In 2009, the Harvard Business Review described the fact that “five generations are about to be working side by side” as “a social phenomenon not yet witnessed.” HBR’s quintet spanned Traditionalists, born prior to 1946, to Gen 2020, born after 1997, with Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Gen X (1965-1976) and Millennials, (1977-1997) in between.
Among the more poetic taxonomies, from authors William Strauss and Neil Howe in their 1991 book Generations: A History of America’s Future 1584 to 2069, finds the four “generational archetypes” of Prophet, Nomad, Hero and Artist.
No matter how you slice it, though, managing cross-generational dynamics is a forefront workplace challenge today. And it’s no less tasking for meeting planners coordinating around differing tastes, values, expectations, communications styles and other characteristics of multi-age groups.
By virtue of their wide-ranging assets and amenities alone, resort properties offer ready resources to help planners plot out this veritable Venn diagram of complements and conflicts. As the following examples reveal, attention to generational diversity both at the brand (see Marriott CRN sidebar) and property levels can further ease planners’ burden when it comes to organizing shared and segmented agendas alike.
Meaningful Experiences
At The St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, inspiration and motivation are behind a new program geared to getting everybody on the same page. Grant Dipman, general manager of the AAA Five Diamond 174-room resort, explains.
“Our guests seek meaningful experiences, yet we are cognizant that each generation presents diverse lifestyles, values, attitudes and desires,” said Dipman. “To meet the challenge of appealing to the entire group, we provide programming that transcends generational preferences or tendencies.”
Launched last month, “The Quintessential Skiing Experience with Chris Waddell” is a shining example. Paralyzed from the waist down after a late 1980s skiing accident in college, Waddell was back on the slopes within a year. He went on to become the most decorated male mono-skier in history with 12 Winter Paralympic medals—while also medaling in wheelchair track at the Summer Paralympic Games.
With other achievements including acting in TV soaps and in 2009, becoming the first nearly unassisted paraplegic to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Waddell’s fame includes recognition from the Dalai Lama as “Unsung Hero of Compassion” and from People as one its “50 Most Beautiful People.”
Nationally renowned as a motivational speaker, his One Revolution foundation is focused on “turning the perception of disability upside down.”
As “Chief Inspiration Officer,” Waddell partnered with the slope-side resort in creating his exclusive package. The customizable program includes a personal meet and greet during a welcome reception or dinner; 60-minute keynote address with Q&A session; and full-day group ski experience led by Waddell.
“The Chris Waddell package provides our groups with a unique, dynamic and multifaceted experience,” Dipman said. “Audiences of any generation are receptive to his message of positivity, and the opportunity to interact with and ski alongside Chris provides that level of engagement and an emotional and experiential connection guests desire.”
On a personal note—I had breakfast with Waddell in NYC last year and left ready to take on the world.
All Tastes, All Seasons
Four Seasons founder and chairman Isadore Sharp’s “Golden Rule” of customer service states, “if you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same.”
PageBreakDescribed as “one single principle that transcends time and geography, religion and culture,” this universal philosophy today unites more than 45,000 Four Seasons employees in 43 countries. It’s also a ready fit for catering to multigenerational groups at properties across the brand’s global portfolio, such as the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas.
Hosting a wide-ranging group mix, from local Fortune 500 companies and visiting professional sports teams to galas, fundraising events and families, the country club-like property is a major business, meetings and social hub for the Irving market.
“Operating by the Golden Rule, our strength is in adaptability,” said Katy Taylor, the resort’s director of event sales. “For events, this translates to customizing the sales experience for the client, regardless of their age, including communicating with them in whatever way they most appreciate. For Millennials, it may mean responding via a text message to a request for information. For Boomers, preferring paper to e-proposals, this may mean creating a custom hardcopy information packet. Regardless of age, we must customize the sales experience for the customer versus expecting them to use our preferred systems and methods.”
With wide-ranging assets, including its award-winning 18-hole golf course and nearly 185,000-square-foot Golf and Sports Club, including the Well & Being Spa, the resort is well equipped for any group need.
All gathering spaces in the 41,000-square-foot conference center offer communal tables with charging stations. The main restaurant, LAW, also has a communal table, while outdoor lounge areas centered around fire pits invite leisurely interaction. The resort makes fitness approachable with 50-plus different group classes, from Anti-Gravity Aerial Yoga to Zumba, plus recreational activities for groups of all sizes, including sports, golf experiences, healthy cooking instruction and culinary competitions.
“Four Seasons has recently launched a global CHAT program, a new digital service that allows guests to send and receive instant messages from our Resort team before, during and after their stay with us,” Taylor said. “Via channels including the Four Seasons App, Facebook Messenger, WeChat or SMS, the service enables human interaction, first and foremost, and it ensures that planners, delegates and guests have access to Four Seasons people at any time for any need.”
The Network for Networking
Marriott’s Convention and Resort Network of 109 properties is also keen on catering to the ever-changing needs of multigenerational meetings (see sidebar).
The network’s star member is the original 1936 Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Ariz., which launched the Marriott resort network in 1967. Today, the property, reflagged as the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in 2004, remains a preferred escape for Marriott International’s Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr, who vacationed here with his parents while growing up.
Offering 453 guest rooms, 26 suites and 127,830 square feet of total meeting space, including the fully-remodeled 20,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, the resort, one of three JW Marriott flags in Arizona, is emblematic of Marriott CRN’s multipurpose, multigenerational versatility.
“As our business mix continues to evolve, we are looking at every avenue to make guests feel comfortable not only from a service standpoint but also in terms of how we communicate and cater to their needs,” said Jonathan Amato, the property’s director of sales and marketing. “For example, finding that our guests typically prefer social interaction and outdoor activity over spending time in their rooms, we have designed our public, outdoor and other gathering spaces to encourage more networking and play.”
Health, wellness and fitness are JW Marriott brand pillars, nutrition included. Australian-born Executive Chef Paul Millist, who has twice won the brand’s Award of Culinary Excellence, creates a menu for all tastes, from vegans to carnivores. Another brand staple is local sourcing, the basis for customized programs such as chef-led visits to local farmers and purveyors, or onsite farmers’ markets showcasing the same suppliers’ goods.
With its exclusive location at the base of Mummy Mountain, the resort, facing Camelback Mountain, accommodates a wide range of self-guided and guided outdoor activities. For special events, the replica Western town just above the resort on Mummy Mountain offers an utterly authentic Arizona experience.
“We partner with local DMCs to offer groups fun ways to explore our Southwest setting, including experiences that can be brought on-property,” said Amato. “Whether it is a Jeep excursion, hot-air balloon ride, horticulture tour or themed dinner, we constantly challenge ourselves to think outside of the box, listen to our customers, and provide fun and memorable experiences personalized to all tastes.”
Food for Thought
Everybody must eat and drink, which makes F&B venues and programs the ultimate common ground for planners and groups. Last May, The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa, announced a multimillion-dollar renovation based on “All Things Culinary,” a design concept inspired by the landmark property’s renowned Cook Academy, and its critically acclaimed restaurant, Junction.
Set on 18 acres in Vermont’s Lake Champlain Valley, the 120-room Essex is well positioned for the multigenerational market (pets included), offering hiking and biking trails, guided family activities, Vermont tours, hot-air ballooning and teambuilding activities in the Cook Academy.
Surrounded by 5,000 acres of Vermont forest and mountains, The Essex’s exclusive off-site venue, The Ponds at Bolton Valley, offers more than 13,000 square feet of flexible space to accommodate up to 400 people for any event.
