Some attendees prefer a trip to the spa for a rejuvenating massage session. Others appreciate when they get to move their bodies through yoga or hiking, and even more attendees are mindful of the food they choose to eat.
No matter how attendees pursue health and wellness objectives at meetings and events, when they look at their agenda for the first time, more and more expect to see time for wellness carved out. Whether that time be dedicated to a group wellness activity or a few hours for them to relax on their own, the industry is reaching a point in which wellness is no longer a trend—it’s an expectation.
As more meeting profs prioritize health and wellness, though, their understanding of what it should look like becomes increasingly more knowledgeable. What was once a healthy and simple fruit smoothie now has people questioning if artificial sugars were added, and it’s important for both planners and properties to keep up with changing times.
Now, attendees look for wellness that’s well-rounded, considering both trending practices and the science behind them. That’s what adoption of the Delos Wellness Certificate for Meetings and Events can help properties achieve.
Backed by scientific research, the Delos Wellness Certificate for Meetings and Events emphasizes the importance of taking attendees’ health and well-being into account and is valid for two years. The certificate program is designed to educate industry professionals on the benefits and value of wellness at meetings and events and teaches how to design, plan and implement wellness solutions while creating safer and healthier experiences.
Through the five-hour program, participants go through a series of videos to learn how to design and host healthier meetings that achieve the following:
- Improve cognitive performance
- Facilitate movement breaks
- Maximize indoor comfort
- Drive productivity
- Boost energy levels and alertness
- Support attendee mindfulness
- Promote hydration
- Minimize fatigue
[Related: The Case for Plant-Forward, Default-Veg Menus at Meetings]
Delos Wellness at Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston
Recently, Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston announced its collaboration with Delos, the wellness real estate and technology company, to bring wellness to the forefront of meetings and events through the adoption of the Delos Wellness Certificate for Meetings and Events. In working with the Delos team, the resort staff began to better understand key concepts in the wellness meetings space.
“We started exploring the opportunity in late December, and as the new year started, we started working on the certificate program,” said Tom Faust, vice president of sales and marketing for Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston. “Our team went through a series of videos, topics and quizzes based on air, water, light, nourishment, exercise, movement, comfort, mindfulness, on and on and on. The program is designed to broaden meeting planners with the knowledge and resources needed to create healthier, more productive environments.”
The program relates these key health concepts to wellness in meetings and is formatted to ensure comprehension at each step through invitations to apply what participants have learned and retained via knowledge checks.
“I think the challenge that you have, just like everybody else, is it’s a busy resort and we’re busy people,” Faust said. “We all agreed it was important. Put it on your calendar, break the program up into pieces so you don’t have to sit down for five hours to do it. The reinforcement of their learning and the positive experience of that fueled them to continue.
“One thing that really sealed it was they were getting feedback and questions from clients about mindfulness and wellness during meetings and events, and they really weren’t able to answer those questions,” Faust continued. “When we brought the solution to them, they bought in pretty quickly. We’re getting questions about this, and we want to be in a position to answer our clients effectively.”
Upon completion of the Delos Wellness Certificate for Meetings and Events course, the team at Margaritaville Lake Resort decided it was time to reimagine their group wellness offerings.
“Based on our training, we thought, ‘Now, we’ve got this, and we understand that. How can we bring it all to meeting planners in a way that they can effectively understand?’” Faust said.
Asking that question led to the creation of Margaritaville Lake Resort’s new Breathe Easy Meetings Offer, which includes:
- Complimentary infused water stations during snack breaks and meal periods
- A complimentary mindfulness intro session like yoga, stretching, breathing or meditation with one of the resort’s mindfulness instructors during an event’s general session
- 20% off spa services at the onsite St. Somewhere Spa
- Complimentary fitness classes for attendees in the Fins Up Fitness Center
- An additional bonus of 20% off any of the resort’s non-food-and-beverage-based teambuilding events
“We put this package together based on mindfulness and wellness and said, ‘How do we make this appealing and relevant to a meeting planner?’” Faust said. “A lot of meeting offers would be discounts over certain dates or discounts in certain categories. This is a different approach, and it’s clearly a value-added approach. We really see a competitive advantage in that we can offer something our competition can’t do."
[Related: 5 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Road]
Stay Well Meetings at MGM Grand
In 2014, Delos and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas unveiled Stay Well Meetings, the industry’s first-ever wellness meetings experience. The program, created by Delos, offers healthy environments to ensure high-performance meetings, with spaces designed to optimize attendees’ health. Nearly a decade later, MGM Grand continues to offer Stay Well Meetings and curate experiences centered around health and well-being.
“Stay Well is the most comprehensive approach to health and wellness in the meetings industry, and I really believe MGM Grand and MGM Resorts International were ahead of the curve by introducing these concepts almost 10 years ago and expanding upon them ever since,” said Megan Archambeault, vice president of hotel sales for MGM Grand. “At MGM Grand specifically, the entire second floor of our convention center offers Stay Well amenities, and our largest ballroom on this floor is just over 9,000 square feet. We can do sizable meetings and events in this space and offer attendees a facility that is designed to enhance the attendee experience.”
When the program was implemented in 2014, meeting rooms were upgraded with advanced air purification, aromatherapy, circadian lighting and other wellness features that benefit creativity and productivity. Healthy menu options were also curated for the Stay Well meeting rooms in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Wellness and designed to offer fresh ingredients promoting healthier lifestyles. The hotel also offers 400 Stay Well guest rooms, which, like the meeting spaces, feature wellness-focused amenities such as aromatherapy, infused showers and natural memory foam mattresses.
“Each specific room has their own air purification unit that reduces allergens and toxins in the air. The circadian lighting helps mimic properties of natural lighting to enhance an attendee’s overall energy and experience,” Archambeault said. “With chromatherapy, meeting planners have the option of utilizing specific color schemes in their rooms to help encourage behaviors.”
Now more than ever, Archambeault said, guests are focused on their health and well-being, and groups are making more of an effort to prioritize health and wellness at events. At MGM Grand, groups consistently work with the hotel’s culinary team on F&B offerings to ensure inclusive meal offerings and often include time on their agendas for optional fitness classes like runs on the Las Vegas Strip or group yoga.
“As we continue to see this focus grow, we have expanded our Stay Well offerings throughout MGM Resorts,” Archambeault said. “Our Convention Services and Events team continue to partner with our customers on curating incredible group experiences.”
Connect
Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston
(936) 448-4400
MGM Grand
(877) 880-0880
