As the resident wellness expert for Meetings Today, I was eager to be on the list of attendees at the inaugural Caesars Entertainment Global Wellness Summit.
The event, which took place June 4-7 in Las Vegas, invited more than 100 meeting planners and members of industry media to experience a taste of Caesars’ new wellness menu—both literally (F&B) and figuratively (education and activations).
I arrived in Las Vegas with high expectations, and to no surprise, Caesars Entertainment exceeded them all.
What was surprising, though, was how much wellness-related information I had to think about on my four-hour journey back to Chicago.
Caesars Entertainment’s Global Wellness Summit put into perspective just how expansive the concept of wellness is—and how low a priority it can be on someone’s list, especially if they work in the hospitality industry.
It’s not that industry professionals don’t care about their well-being, but between juggling work responsibilities, client requests and overflowing inboxes with family obligations, household chores—and the tiniest sliver of downtime—sometimes well-being doesn’t even end up taking a backseat. It ends up in the trunk—and many of us forget we put it there.
Caesars knows this is a reality for many in the meetings industry, and the brand’s event programming certainly took that into consideration.
If I had to share one overarching takeaway from the Summit, it’d be that sometimes, the best way to encourage busy people to prioritize their well-being is by keeping things short and sweet. The simpler the practices and techniques, the easier it will be for people to incorporate them into their already busy schedules and the more likely they will be to keep up with new healthy habits.
Read on for some more takeaways from Caesars Entertainment’s Global Wellness Summit.
[Related: Caesars' New Meetings Wellness Menu Prescribes a Healthy Dose of Program Options]
What Is Caesars Entertainment’s Global Wellness Summit?
In response to an uptick in requests for unique attendee experiences and wellness activations—as well as a McKinsey & Company study released earlier this year that projects wellness spending in 2024 will top $1.4 trillion globally and grow to a $480 billion industry in the U.S. alone—Caesars Entertainment created its Global Wellness Summit to give planners what they’re asking for, and they’ve set the bar high for other companies to follow suit.
The invite-only Caesars Entertainment Global Wellness Summit provided attendees “an unparalleled preview of Caesars’ new wellness offerings through a blend of luxury, relaxation and self-discovery…meticulously curated to nurture mind, body and soul.”
The event aims to showcase new ideas, products and events menu enhancements to demonstrate how Caesars clients and stakeholders can incorporate wellness experiences into their events.
This year, attendees stayed at the luxurious 182-room Nobu Hotel Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, which completed a multimillion-dollar refresh in December 2021 and served as a calm oasis in the heart of an otherwise sleepless city.
Between the accommodations, carefully selected, delicious (and nutritious!) F&B options and Caesars’ thoughtful approach to speaker selection and group activities, the inaugural Caesars Entertainment Global Wellness Summit checked all the boxes.
Even attendees who considered today’s wellness trends the unconventional habits of the modern hippie left with open minds and a crystal in their pocket.
[Related: 3 Hotel Brands That Excel in Guest and Group Wellness Offerings]
Education from Top Wellness Experts and Industry Speakers
I firmly believe that in order to get the most out of and benefit from wellness practices, you have to first understand why they exist and how they can help you. And to do that, you have to genuinely care about your well-being.
In short, it all depends on motivation, and Caesars Entertainment understands education is at the root of it all.
Programming for this year’s Caesars Entertainment Global Wellness Summit featured a number of speakers who are experts in wellness and its role in the meetings industry, including:
- Pandit Dasa, a workplace culture, mindful leadership and well-being expert, as well as a former monk of 15 years and author of two books. Dasa’s session, “Creating a Mindful and Positive Workplace Culture: Strategies for Reducing Quiet Quitting and Keeping Employees Happy,” addressed the importance of creating an environment where individuals put aside their own self-interest for the sake of the greater good. Takeaways: Communicate with awareness, set boundaries for self-care and express appreciation toward colleagues.
- Sepideh Eivazi, founder of Dawn of the Earth and a holistic wellness advocate. Eivazi’s two sessions focused on emotional freedom and somatic breathwork, respectively, and gave attendees new techniques that can help improve their well-being. Takeaways: Tapping acupuncture may reduce stress and anxiety, improve performance and help resolve fears, and somatic breathwork can create a deep sense of connection to your nervous system.
- Kristine Iverson, founder of CROW Practice, author and wellness advocate. Iverson also recently competed on the reality TV show for entrepreneurs, The Blox. Her session, “Calm in the Chaos,” taught attendees about essential tools and techniques tailored to manage the chaotic nature of the events industry as well as current wellness trends like forest bathing and nap pods. Takeaways: The spiral technique, thought ladders and neurology rewriting can emphasize self-care and resilience (and sometimes, I can nap at work).
- Dami Kim, director of corporate wellness at Body & Brain Wellness, speaker and energy expert. Kim’s session focused on stress management and brain boosting, providing skills for meeting and event planners that consistently find their industry ranked near the top of the list of most stressful jobs in the world. Takeaways: Exercises designed to foster neuroplasticity and creative thinking can enhance focus and learning, support positive energy and help create emotional balance.
- Nolan Nichols, founder of A Million Dreams, speaker and author. For his closing keynote, “Infuse More Wonder and Celebration into Your Life,” Nichols encouraged attendees to embark on a journey of self-discovery and perspective change, inspiring us to infuse more moments of wonder and celebration into our lives. Takeaways: P.P.P. Plan, posture and pace. Plan moments of wellness, posture yourself for wellness to find you and pace yourself and know your race.
[Related: My Transformational Experience With Body & Brain Wellness in Sedona, Arizona]
Mindful Group Activities and Excursions Rooted in Wellness
Throughout the Caesars Entertainment Global Wellness Summit, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a number of wellness-related activities and adventures.
Early in the morning of our first full day together, the group boarded buses for an hour-long drive to Mount Charleston for an immersive nature experience. Christine Frazzitta, founder and CEO of Zeeta Body, led a Yin Yoga session, guiding the group through the gentle-yet-profound practice that involves holding passive yoga poses for an extended period to target the deep connective tissues of the body such as ligaments, facia and joints.
Following a picnic-style breakfast, we then embarked on a forest bathing hiking tour during which we unplugged and disconnected from the busyness of the events industry to surround ourselves in and learn more about our natural surroundings.
The next morning, we found ourselves floating down the Colorado River with Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures, our raft surrounded by Nevada to the west and Arizona to the east. A picturesque tour of the Black Canyon concluded beneath the iconic Hoover Dam, and some attendees even took a dip in the river to refresh after a morning under the sun.
The highlight for me was a guided sound bath and meditation led by Dani Kilpatrick, also known as the Desert Moon Yogi. The podcast host, human design expert, registered yoga teacher (…her title goes on!) helped attendees find their true center at the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis, with many floating on blow-up air mattresses on the water (me included).
[Related: 8 Hospitality Industry Professionals Share Tips for Managing Stress]
Healthy and Balanced F&B Options
Another vital step in improving well-being is fueling your body with healthy and balanced foods, and thanks to Caesars Entertainment’s culinary team, we dined on food that was both delicious and nutritious.
During the welcome dinner at Nobu Villa, a sprawling 10,300-square-foot space with a terrace overlooking the Strip, attendees dined on Japanese-inspired cuisine and participated in an array of sensory experiences like aura readings by Body & Brain Wellness and scenting sessions provided by Scentex.
We also had the opportunity to enjoy both lunch and dinner at MR CHOW, a concept started by artist and restaurateur Michael Chow in 1968 and serving modern Beijing cuisine, as well as the newly opened Brasserie B by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, offering a taste of French culinary excellence.
