Hoteliers, venue managers, and destination representatives know what they need to expand their group business: planner insights and new technology. That’s evident from the list of our 10 most popular blogs for hospitality professionals in 2019.
From virtual reality to tips on reaching Generation Z, these topics are definitely worth another look as we head into another year in the competitive meetings and events landscape.
Read our 10 best hospitality blogs of 2019:
1. Best Practice Tips and Trends: Grow Into Technology
For hoteliers and venue managers, change driven by tech innovation is a constant and will stay that way. Savvy managers should stay abreast of current trends, understand how it applies to their group business, and move forward in a strategic way. Here are just two examples that span the experience — and the operation — of events.
Read the technology best practices blog.
2. How 5G Will Impact the Future of Meetings and Events
The faster and more reliable 5G network also has the potential to power machine-learning technologies including autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and the Internet of Things (IoT), as more devices can connect and communicate with one another seamlessly. It will also be a game-changer for meetings, events, and conferences and the venue managers and organizers behind them.
Read how 5G will impact events.
3. Avoid Surprises When Starting a Wedding Venue Business With 11 Simple Steps
If you’re thinking about starting a wedding venue business, the most important first step is taking off those rose-colored glasses. Running a wedding venue company is more than a labor of love, and far more challenging than you may think. It takes grit, honesty, and resources — not unlike the institution of marriage itself.
Read how to start a wedding venue business.
4. 4 Ways to Reach Millennial Planners
A lot has been studied and said about the millennial generation — but how can you use those insights to attract millennial planners to your hotel or venue? They’ve entered the business with passion and innovation, but they’re not likely to be influenced by the same factors as their Generation X and baby boomer colleagues. Here are four strategies for reaching planners who are a part of this huge demographic group.
Read how to reach millennial event planners.
5. Cvent's 2019 Top Meeting Hotels: Another Nashville Hotel Takes No. 1
Thanks to its "very strategic, very analytic, and very collaborative" approach to group business, the Omni Nashville Hotel jumped five spots to No. 1 on Cvent's list of the 2019 Top Meeting Hotels in the U.S. The JW Marriott Austin and Aria Resort & Casino ranked second and third, respectively.
Read about the top meeting hotels.
6. How to Connect With Generation Z Event Planners
Move over millennials — another cohort is just beginning to enter the workplace. Generation Z, those born in 1997 and later, holds some distinct challenges of its own, according to Pew Research. But how do those differences translate into communication habits and preferences that the hospitality industry needs to be aware of? Here's a look at some of the unique characteristics of those in Gen Z and how those differences may come into play as you interact with young planners.
Read how to reach Gen Z planners.
7. Top U.S. Meeting Destinations: Orlando Makes It 5 in a Row
Orlando must be doing something right. For the fifth consecutive year and the seventh time since the list started, the city lands at No. 1 on Cvent's Top Meeting Destinations in the U.S. Many international lists saw repeat winners as well. London continues its reign over the list of Top Meeting Destinations in Europe; Singapore again comes out on top in Asia; and Dubai stays at No. 1 in the Middle East and Africa. But there were also some newcomers.
Read about the Top U.S. Meeting Destinations.
8. Here Are 3 Technologies That Transform Events
How many times have you been asked to provide a "wow" factor for a group — especially with all the new event technology available? Technology has completely revolutionized the meetings and events industry, from the way rooms are booked to the development of custom apps, so it's no surprise that hoteliers are increasingly expected to keep up with the latest trends. And of course, you're doing this while managing complex group booking arrangements and providing the top-notch, personalized service that guests have come to demand from hotel brands. Here's a look at how technology is transforming events — and how hotels can keep pace with the change.
9. 3 Economic Reasons to Invest in Virtual and Augmented Reality
Augmented and virtual reality are the future for meetings and events. But guess what? that future is here. Interest in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) among event planners is growing, according to the 2019 Cvent Planner Sourcing Report. Today, there are a ton of technological solutions that put AR and VR right at everyone's fingertips and on their mobile devices. Here are three reasons to invest in AR/VR technology.
Read about virtual reality for events.
10. How Hotels Can Impress Event Planners for Lasting Relationships
Event planners are busy people, meaning they need the help of hotels to make memorable events come together as efficiently as possible. In fact, the annual global edition of Cvent's Planner Sourcing Report noted that 37% of respondents said they organize 50 or more events per year — and 16% plan more than 100 events per year. While this can be stressful for planners, it also creates an opportunity for hotels to ease that anxiety, create collaborative partnerships, and form lasting relationships.
Read how to build lasting planner relationships.
We hope these top hospitality blogs from 2019 will help give you new ideas, clear next steps for strategies to implement, and a look at hotel trends headed our way in the year ahead.
