The last thing meeting attendees need is another branded, reusable, insulated water bottle.
They were “cool” in the moment, a once unique and trendy choice for corporate gifting and room drops. But one more insulated tumbler may leave your attendees’ kitchen cabinets overflowing with too many reusable lids and straws to keep track of.
At this point, those branded water bottles may not even make it out of the hotel room they were dropped in to begin with. Sometimes, attendees just don’t have enough space to cram yet another corporate gewgaw into their bags, and the things they leave behind will be the things they don’t need.
It’s this mentality, as well as an increased focus on sustainability and authentic local experiences, that’s changing the corporate gifting scene. No longer are companies assuming what their clients and meeting attendees want. Instead, they’re simply starting to ask the question.
According to the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) 2024 Trends Report, data-driven program owners are using employee preferences and participant data to deliver merchandise that motivates and inspires, giving recipients a reward that makes them feel truly valued and cared about. The keys to gifting success, according to the report, are curation, customization, individualization and presentation.
Here’s how three hotel brands and hospitality companies are ditching the one-size-fits-all approach to corporate gifting to offer guests and meeting attendees personalized presents that feel like real rewards.
Caesars Entertainment
When planners choose to host their events with Caesars Entertainment, they have the opportunity to work closely with Caesars Entertainment Meetings & Events to create gifts and room drops based on what they know about their attendees.
“Caesars Entertainment is redefining customized and tailored experiences for conference attendees by working closely with planners to better understand the demographic and psychographics of their audience to assure preferences and interests are taken into consideration,” said Don Ross, vice president of meeting operations for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas.
One way in which planners can customize gifts for event attendees while still focusing on company branding and logo’d items with Caesars Entertainment is through food.
“The Caesars Entertainment’s Catering and Convention Services Managers, with the support of the award-winning pastry chefs, work closely with planners to personalize and develop unique welcome amenities that can include logos and preferences to create the ‘wow’ effect,” Ross said.
[Related: Lone Star to L'étoile: 8 Tips for Planning On-Trend Customer-Centric Luxury Experiences]
Hyatt
Prioritizing personalization and customization when welcoming guests to a hotel and giving unique gifts doesn’t necessarily mean company branding gets pushed aside. Hyatt is one hotel brand that succeeds both at staying true to its branding and messaging while delivering experiences and gifts that Hyatt guests want.
“Together by Hyatt is our events philosophy, constantly evolving based on listening to our customers, and rooted in well-being, support, technology and sustainability,” said Steve Enselein, senior vice president of events at Hyatt.
Sometimes, gifting can be as simple as offering guests access to programs and partnerships upon check-in.
For example, Hyatt’s emphasis on well-being is felt the second guests settle down in their hotel rooms as they’re invited to utilize Headspace, an online meditation and sleep company featuring guided meditations and mindfulness tools.
Guests and meeting attendees staying at Hyatt Regency hotels can also take advantage of the brand’s new collaboration with personal training platform Future, offering customized virtual training at 26 Hyatt Regency properties. The brand has plans to introduce the partnership to more hotels in the future.
Hyatt also considers what gifting could look like from a food and beverage perspective.
“Guided by our philosophy of ‘Food. Thoughtfully sourced. Carefully served.’, attendees will enjoy sustainable, locally sourced meals that uniquely suit a variety of preferences and dietary needs,” Enselein said. “Our bars include high-quality craft beverages with no or low alcohol options, and we offer Personal Preference Dining for attendees to select their own entrée at dinner—just like a restaurant.
“In lieu of in-room amenities, some Hyatt properties provide Market Cards so attendees can choose what they enjoy most, whether that’s a late-night treat or bottled juice after a workout,” Enselsein added. “Hyatt also provides build-your-own-amenity or gifting experiences, so attendees get exactly what they want.”
Hyatt recently unveiled its new Event Experience Guides, providing meeting planners with all the data, tools and information they need in one place. This real-time personalization hub, coupled with Hyatt’s Planner Portal, enables planners to customize their entire planning process.
[Related: Wellness-Related Corporate Gift Ideas That Promote Attendee Health and Mindfulness]
Hilton
At Hilton, customizing guest gifting experiences goes beyond asking attendees about their personal preferences and interests, and also takes into consideration the unique locations of each Hilton property.
At Hilton Cartagena in Colombia, for example, customizing and personalizing a meeting attendee’s experience is considered part of the hotel team’s culture.
The property emphasizes leaving a positive impact and providing authentic experiences by educating team members to obtain as much information as possible about an event and its attendees in order to uncover what is really important to a client and how best to personalize an event. Then, turning to the local community, the team at Hilton Cartagena partners with local artists to deliver event experiences that are unique to both the client and the destination the hotel calls home.
“From the negotiation process with a sales executive until the execution with our sales coordinators, we create an environment where the customer receives what is really important to them using the magical realism that represents us through local artists (watercolorists, musicians, dancers and artisans, among others who represent our local culture), ensuring that customization can be as interactive as possible, since we believe that the co-creation process with the client generates the best memories,” said Jairo Manzur, director of sales and marketing at Hilton Cartagena.
“We also use Hilton tools, such as the Light Stay Calculator or More Means Más Promotion, that allow our clients to personalize their positive impact—in the local community, footprint or both,” Manzur added.
One example of a customized event experience at Hotel Cartagena giving attendees a unique gift to take home is the opportunity to recreate the colorful streets of historic Cartagena in watercolor while guided by a local artist who narrates the history of the city.
A second customized gifting option allowing branding opportunities is creating drinks that reflect the company’s logo and colors that are designed by Hotel Cartagena’s team and often use local products.
Before the arrival of event attendees at Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort and Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, the Groups and Events team dedicates time to defining the type of gift they want to give to the guests.
The team prioritizes gifting “something that is meaningful and that will always make [attendees] remember our property” while ensuring room drops are personalized based on ever unique event.
“It has been a key point for the return of many companies and agencies that wish to repeat their celebrations, conventions and events with our properties—the dedication of the teams to ensure that each of the attendees has personalized treatment, with an effort to make them feel unique and special,” said Diego Mendoza, area director of sales for the Tulum-based hotels. “The area of Tulum in Quintana Roo is characterized by handmade crafts and gifts made with local materials. We always include handmade pieces in the gifts for the attendees, which makes it more unique and unforgettable.
“After they return to their homes and destination countries/cities, they will keep something that will make them remember and relive the incredible moments they had at the event held on our property.”
[Related: 10 Sustainable Business Travel Products for Your Next Trip]
7 Benefits to Personalized Gifts from Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort
- Authenticity: By working with local vendors, you ensure an authentic experience for your guests, immersing them in a destination—at Hilton Cancun, it’s the rich culture and traditions of Mexico.
- Unique offerings: Local vendors often provide unique products and services that may not be available elsewhere, adding a distinctive touch to your event.
- Community support: Supporting local businesses and artisans contributes to the economic growth and sustainability of the community, fostering a sense of goodwill and collaboration.
- Cultural exchange: Interacting with local vendors fosters cultural exchange, allowing both guests and vendors to learn from one another and appreciate different perspectives.
- Environmental impact: Sourcing locally can reduce the carbon footprint of your event by minimizing transportation distances and supporting sustainable practices.
- Memorable experiences: Incorporating local elements into your event creates memorable experiences for guests, leaving a lasting impression and encouraging positive word-of-mouth.
- Artistic souvenirs: Guests have the opportunity to bring home unique, handcrafted souvenirs that serve as tangible reminders of their experience, supporting local artisans in the process.
Read this next: How a Tech-Savvy Generation Is Changing Incentive Travel Programs
