Immersive, inventive and outside the box solutions lift meetings experiences to new levels
The emergence and evolution of artificial intelligence can be considered the current generation’s answer to the assembly line, transistor and microchip, all rolled into one. In step with nearly every other industry, meetings and events spaces are on the brink of something revolutionary thanks to AI. Indeed, the entire hospitality industry is experiencing its own renaissance with the explosion of this high-tech wizardry, which has raised the bar and fueled expectations for MICE to be more impressive and efficient than ever.
One tech-forward effort falls into the category of interactive displays, digital collaboration tools and immersive technology solutions. Another high-tech strategy is the use of advanced audio-visual equipment such as high-definition video conferencing, surround sound and live music input integration, pre-wired live camera feeds, and wireless microphones and headsets for presentations. A third technology revolves around connectivity and infrastructure, with private high-speed Internet, conference call systems and video-conferencing capabilities.
Following the impact of COVID on the entire travel industry, the slow return to pre-pandemic numbers has reached a milestone, having fully recovered by the start of 2025. Moreover, post-pandemic travel trends include the re-emergence of in-person meetings and conferences. In fact, according to the Global Business Travel Association, 59 percent of corporate travel buyers report that, as of Q4 2024, employees were attending more conferences compared to a year ago.
This growing trend is expected to continue well into 2025, with in-person events providing enhanced networking opportunities, opening up new business opportunities and generating increased return on investment. With the rise in business conferences comes an emphasis on using technology to create more direct engagement.
“Planners for both the small and large events seek tangible outcomes with an increased focus on collaboration, getting people to embrace a team spirit, evolving the work space and evolving the work force,” says Kari Wendel, HRS group VP for meetings solutions – Americas. Wendel recently joined HRS to take on the challenges of the business of meetings, specifically in the North American market. Though that market is beginning to see the impact of the pandemic years fade into the past, one upshot of that era – the return to the office – is still an issue. Says Wendel, “To address the return to the office challenges, properties are trying to make the meeting spaces themselves more attractive.”
A Glimpse into the Future
Thus, for that true immersive experience, meeting and event planners might look toward some of the newest innovations in meeting and event technology found at the W South Beach. Located on the famed Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, the W South Beach is the brand’s most profitable US property. Still feeling the glow of its $30 million renovation in 2020, the W Hotel offers a one-of-a-kind meeting and event experience in its seven event rooms and nearly fifteen-thousand-square-feet of flexible interior space.
Through the vision and ingenuity of Ahmed Elkaswami, the hotel’s director of event planning and operations, W South Beach has raised the bar for meeting technology. He points to the hotel’s flagship event space, called the Great Room, with its transformational wall, ceiling and floor images which range from a jungle setting to underwater tranquility.
“The inspiration behind the concept and design of the digital ballroom was to create a unique and unparalleled event experience, aspiring to become the most iconic hotel facility globally and leaders in the industry.” Elkaswami says. The digital ballroom is more than just smoke and mirrors, he says. It is a suspension of reality, engaging guests in an atmosphere that lends itself to a sense of unity, community and creativity.
It is also a technology ahead of its time. The set of state-of-the-art projection devices are inconspicuously positioned to complete the illusion, making an event something akin to those immersive artistic experiences in which the art comes to life. “It will be a long time – at least 5 to 10 years – until other hotels consider integrating this technology into their facilities,” Elkaswami predicts. “This technology allows for creating sensations like floating in the clouds, sitting on a sunny beach, or sailing in the middle of the ocean.”
Keep It Simple
One of the prime draws to this innovative meetings and events technology is its simplicity. Under the gentle glow of the digital backdrop (the choice for this meeting was a calming jungle of green leaves), W South Beach’s virtual ballroom is not only visually stunning, but a wise investment. “The operation of the technology is extremely simple and only requires an AV technician to operate and follow the event timeline,” Elkaswami points out. “Our system was designed to be easily controlled from the touch of a button – similar to how you would use an application to control the lights in your own home or office.”
With technology moving at breakneck speeds, hotels are looking for solutions to enhance customer experiences and address operational challenges. Notably, holographic projections are being used to successfully integrate in-person and virtual attendees. For example, the Marriott Hotel in Adelaide, Australia, has introduced AI-driven technologies, including real-time translations and tracking cameras, to improve audience engagement. This technology has obvious application to the events and meetings operations.
Curated by Microhire, one of the largest Australian-owned audio-visual and event staging service suppliers, the hotel’s Sir Charles Todd Ballroom boasts an impressive 4.8-meter (15.75 ft.) x 2.7-meter (8.9 ft.) 4K LED screen accompanied by dynamic lighting installations capable of versatile effects including beams and rotating lens capabilities.
Pioneering AI
Moving from the front of the house to the back office, technological solutions are also essential in navigating operational issues that affect profitability, especially in labor-intensive areas such as the welcome desk and food and beverage service. For instance, Millennium Hotels and Resorts in Singapore has introduced an AI-powered voice assistant that integrates cloud-based phone systems, task management, in-room dining, and smart room controls to streamline operations.
The resurgence of corporate events, combined with the industry’s adaptability in implementing technological innovations and flexible event spaces, is fostering a positive outlook for the sector. AI, of course, is paving the way for the tech-forward future, according to Rachel Andrews, senior director of global meetings and events at Cvent.
“AI is top of mind for event professionals, with some reports saying that 90 percent-plus are incorporating AI into their daily routines,” Andrews says. “When it comes to booking and organizing events, some of the top AI-powered solutions include chatbots and virtual assistants, predictive analytics, smart scheduling and enhanced network opportunities.”
Andrews cites two of AI’s major benefits; automating manual processes and analyzing large amounts of data. “Integrations between event technology tools and other marketing technology solutions – CRMs like Salesforce, marketing tools like Marketo, and budgeting tools like SAP Concur, for example – allow event data to flow seamlessly between SaaS solutions while AI quickly analyzes event program outcomes – ROI, revenue, business impact – and uncovers opportunities for even greater success.”
Robert O. Sanders Jr., president of meetings and incentives for Leros Transportation Group, reinforces how utilizing the right solutions adds up to savings. For example, he says Leros has used Cvent for the past 20 years, which has applications that cover most facets of an event from booking hotels to managing room blocks to managing and controlling the back end of the event. “The tech allows planners to balance the expenses through a line-by-line breakdown, which enables the planner to reconcile expenses for future events. It helps to research not only the ‘how,’ but also the ‘why.’”
Virtually Visionary
In the meetings and events space, a mix of hospitality and sci-fi is emerging with the rise of intelligent event software supported by AI. One hotel brand which has caught the technology wave is Radisson Hotels with its Meetings Unbound value proposition and AI-powered Radisson Meetings Dream Machine.
Launched a year ago, the generative AI helps the planners think outside the standard creative boxes, and take their event objectives in new directions. For instance, Radisson Hotel Group has included Infinity Rooms into their upscale meetings and events repertoire.
According to radissonhotels.com, infinity rooms are “an immersive experience” that help planners redefine and expand their approach to meetings and events. “Entering an almost pitch-black meeting room, participants are led through a series of deep-focus visualization exercises to help them think about the current challenges they face when organizing meetings and how to navigate these different event constraints, by placing a particular emphasis on sensory experiences such as lighting and sound. As organizers progress through the different stages of the event planning process, the room gradually lightens, slowly revealing infinity patterns, designed to facilitate co-creation and collaborative innovation.”
As impressive as that sounds, the introduction of AI into the meetings and events tech space has been met with mixed reactions. According to Wendel, “Some planners and business people are not as interested in AI as one would think. There is some level of caution when it pertains to AI. However, others are excited as it has been found that AI has encapsulated the requirements of the event, saving time and money. For example, AI helps to reduce the span of time needed for an RFP, and finds more cost-effective business options,” she notes. This double-edged sword can be compared to the prospect of autonomous vehicles in the auto industry. Some people are thrilled at the futuristic concept, while others prefer to keep a human driver behind the wheel.
In February of this year, stakeholders in the meetings and events industry converged on London’s International Confex, which showcased meetings tech that blurs the lines between festival and networking events. The two-day conference offered a floorplan of more than 200 vendors who showcased current products as well as gave a peek behind the curtain at the industry’s propects.
At the conference, one could network with companies such as Mustard Productions, a full-service video production company that can assist in bringing the wow factor to visual impact of events. For more adrenaline, DTO Motorsports puts the corporate incentives into the fast lane with simulated high-speed racing experiences. There were digital marketing companies, sustainable printing companies, and even do-it-all event planning businesses, all on the launching pad to current and future MICE tech.
Technology, by definition, is an ever-augmenting source of information and means to efficiency and facility. As the trauma of the pandemic wanes, one would think that the desire for in-person meetings would hurt virtual meetings providers such as Zoom and Teams. Nevertheless, the space continues to thrive underscoring the simple cost effectiveness of virtual meetings.
Yet as high-tech meetings and event platforms emerge, the value of in-person engagement combined with the impressiveness of that futuristic tech pretty much guarantees plenty of room for planners to pick the right solution in every event setting.
