Four of my favorite days at work happened in Quebéc City, Quebéc.
The French-speaking city on the Saint Lawrence River played host to Destination Canada’s winter incentive event in February 2023.
I was less than a year into my role at Meetings Today, confident enough to attend fam trips on behalf of my publication but not quite enough to walk into a room of industry professionals without sweaty palms.
The first day or two of the trip, I kept my guard up, sitting at empty tables instead of taking the last chair at one full of people I didn’t know. I avoided joining conversations until someone made me a part of them, hung around the back of the pack during site tours and politely declined invites to spontaneous post-dinner happy hours.
Then someone handed me an axe.
[Related: On the Scene: Destination Canada’s Legendary Winter Incentive Experience in Quebec City]
An Axe-idental Experience
We were gathered at Érablière du Lac-Beauport, a traditional Québécois sugar shack. Activities including axe throwing were set up outside, and despite my best efforts, I ended up facing the target.
As an industry newbie, the fear of embarrassing myself in front of other attendees was already overwhelming. When I realized how heavy the axe was—and how quickly my hands went numb without my mittens on—that fear became too paralyzing to throw it.
“Here, I’ll throw mine first,” another attendee said, followed by the clang of his axe’s steel blade against one of the metal poles holding up his target.
The sound startled us both into silence. We looked at each other with wide eyes, then we started laughing, and suddenly, I was hurling an axe over my head like I frequently split wood for fun.
That experience gave me a newfound confidence that carried me through the rest of the fam trip. I held my head a little higher, my handshakes were a little firmer and the insecurities that prevented me from being outgoing in the beginning no longer made me feel like I didn’t belong.
The people I met on that trip to Quebéc City remain some of my closest friends in the industry, even two years later. None of those friendships would’ve formed, though, if not for a concept known as “competitive socializing” and its ability to get people out of their shells.
[Related: The Z: 3 Trends Gen Z Is Setting in 2025]
What Is Competitive Socializing?
The meaning is in the name, really. Competitive socializing essentially takes the concepts of competition and social interaction and combines them to create a new type of networking environment (one younger generations are particularly fond of, according to The Value Engineers).
The growing trend combines high-end F&B and networking with competitive games such as darts, ping-pong, mini golf and, of course, axe throwing.
According to research by Cushman & Wakefield, a full-service global commercial real estate company, competitive socializing concepts have grown 386% since the beginning of 2021—but it’s something that, in one way or another, has always been part of the hospitality industry’s DNA.
“I think hospitality has always been kind of two strands up to competitive socializing, where it already has the food and beverage component, and then we basically added in a competitive activity,” said Matt Grech-Smith, co-founder and co-CEO of Competitive Socializing, the company behind Swingers – The Crazy Golf Club. “We see how it makes the whole experience way more memorable. And obviously, social media was a big driver of that because people really want to show off the experiences they’re having.
“People wanted to do more than eat and drink on their days and nights out,” Grech-Smith continued. “They wanted an actual activity. They wanted to be able to tell their friends what they were doing, and we think life is more fun when it has a bit of competition in it.”
[Related: The Z: The Realities of Remote Work and How Co-Workdays Can Be a Solution]
The Benefits & Appeal to Younger Generations
Everyone enjoys a little bit of friendly competition, but for Gen Z, competitive socializing isn’t just about the thrill of going head-to-head with colleagues (beyond a strongly worded email). It’s an opportunity to challenge social norms, push outside of their comfort zone, develop soft skills…and share photos on Instagram.
By considering Gen Z’s values, choices and challenges, the appeal of competitive socializing to the generation becomes clear, and so do the benefits of incorporating the trend into everything from event agendas to company teambuilding retreats.
Here’s how competitive socializing can help create environments that are inclusive of Gen Z.
1. Avoid Awkwardness
Gen Z is not known for being good communicators.
We can probably blame a lot of that on social media and the plunging need to pick up the phone and make a call, but the generation also has a high population of people with social anxiety, and this can make things like networking with colleagues or attending industry events feel overwhelming.
Recent data reported by Fortune Media and Digital Project Manager shows 65% of Gen Z say they struggle to make conversation with colleagues, and in a room where all there is to do is stand around with a drink in your hand and talk to people you work with, that can create a lot of awkward silence.
Throw something as simple as team trivia into the mix, though, and silence no longer has time to speak.
“Competitive socializing eliminates the social awkwardness,” Grech-Smith said. “It gives everybody something to focus on so they’re not sitting around making awkward small talk, and once you’ve completed the activity, it gives everyone something to relate over and talk about.”
[Related: The Z: Exploring Social Anxiety in the Meetings and Events Industry]
2. Drink, or Don’t
More and more Gen Zers are saying “no thanks” to alcohol.
On average, the generation drinks about 20% less than Millennials, who also drink less than older generations. A 2023 survey from Gallup found that the share of adults under the age of 35 who say they ever drink dropped 10% in two decades, going from 72% from 2001-2003 to 62% from 2021-2023.
Despite the generation’s decreased levels of alcohol consumption, most social gatherings still revolve around an open bar. Nonalcoholic beverages like mocktails are becoming more common, but at most social gatherings, we are still expected to sip on something.
Competitive socializing takes that pressure away and shifts our focus from spirits to sports.
“We obviously see that the younger generations are much less likely to be drinking alcohol on their days or nights out,” Grech-Smith said. “In competitive socializing, the emphasis is on the activity and doing something fun as opposed to what you're drinking. It’s about doing something constructive. You’re not there for the alcohol. It's just a nice kind of sideshow.”
[Related: Why You Should Offer Mocktail Drink Options at Your Next Event]
3. Snap & Share
It’s practically common knowledge that Gen Z prioritizes experiences over material possessions. They value opportunities to create memories, build connections and feel a sense of accomplishment—and they value these opportunities even more when they lend themselves to being worthy of a spot on their Instagram feed.
The concept of competitive socializing gives Gen Z a blend of everything they’re searching for.
Many competitive socializing activities are not so typical (*ahem* axe-throwing), making it easy to find something most Gen Zers likely haven’t tried yet or wouldn’t do often. And because it takes two to tango, competitive socializing means there’s always a chance to make a new friend.
“Gen Z are prioritizing experiences in life above material possessions, and they’re very technologically savvy. Social media is a big drive, and people are looking to show off the experiences they’re having to their peers,” Grech-Smith said. “So, coming and having a really fun night out with your friends that people talk about for days or weeks afterwards ticks a lot of boxes.”
Plus, most competitive-socializing venues pass the test of serving as an aesthetically pleasing backdrop for a photo dump. Whether throwing axes in the great snowy outdoors, playing glow-in-the-dark mini golf or bowling beneath neon lights, every experience is bound to be an Instagrammable one.
Game on!
Taylor
Have a question about Gen Z or a topic you’d like to learn more about? Share your thoughts with Taylor at taylor.smith@meetingstoday.com, on Instagram at @tay__writes or on X at @taywrites.
Mission Statement: "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation" is a Meetings Today column discussing the meetings and events industry’s newest and youngest members—the incoming Generation Z. Written by Meetings Today’s Taylor Smith, a member of Gen Z herself, The Z explores how to welcome, work with, understand and plan for the industry’s next wave of professionals while serving as a guide for members of Gen Z themselves, planners and attendees alike.
Read more from "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation."
