Hilton’s newly released 2024 Trends Report as well as a recent online survey conducted by KRC Research in August 2023 found that more than 70 percent of event attendees prefer in-person events to virtual and believe that in-person meetings have benefits that can’t be replicated virtually, such as meeting new people and the ability to read non-verbal cues. Around half of event-goers surveyed (47 percent) say they are burnt out from virtual meetings, and this increases with younger generations, with 59 percent of Gen Z respondents tiring of virtual events.
Additionally, around a third of event planners (27 percent) say they are frustrated with the complicated and time-consuming event space booking process, with four in 10 frustrated with finding a space that meets their requirements. Hilton’s Trends Report also found that all travelers surveyed are looking for innovative digital solutions to simplify their travel experience, with 80 percent saying it is important to be able to book their trip entirely online.
To meet these evolving needs, Hilton is bringing two new initiatives to market. Hilton for Business is a new travel program set to launch in early 2024 that’s designed to give small and medium-size businesses access to exclusive discounted rates, loyalty benefits and travel tools. The program will include a dedicated website with a rapid onboarding process allowing businesses to quickly register and enjoy portfolio-wide discounts and benefits when they book travel.
Hilton has also launched a new event booking capability on the events.hilton.com platform that will allow planners to book meeting space and guest rooms online. The platform will show meeting space availability in real time across all 7,000 Hilton properties globally, with options to select different products such as half- or full-day meetings, or to add 10-35 guest rooms to the booking. It will be fully operational with all 7,000 hotels by end of Q1 2024, but 3,000 Hilton properties were anticipated to be bookable on the platform by the end of 2023.
“We think it’s going to be received really well and solve some real pain points and friction in the system,” said Gerilyn Horan, VP, Hilton, group sales and strategic accounts. “And this is something that others are doing in some ways, but we are scaling it. It is a real-time inventory of both guest rooms and meeting space, which you can book online with seamless contracting, and it’s something that our customers have been asking for a very long time.”
Opening in January 2024, the Signia by Hilton Atlanta will be the company’s first ground-up Signia by Hilton development. Located in the Georgia World Congress Center, in the heart of the city’s downtown sports and entertainment district, the hotel will stand at 40 stories and offer 976 guest rooms and suites. The property will feature 137,000 sf of event space including the largest hotel ballroom in Georgia, an outdoor event deck and an outdoor event lawn.
“This will change the landscape of Atlanta, but it will also change the landscape of what you can do from an events and meetings perspective,” says Nicole Tilzer, vice president, all-inclusive & resort strategy at Hilton [speaking on behalf of the Signia brand]. “It’s a fully purpose-built complex with multiple destination bars and restaurants—we’re talking James Beard-level restaurants and celebrity chef-run concepts. It has a phenomenal elevated sports bar as well as the Signia Wellness experience, and it’s really bringing this whole new component to the overall Georgia World Congress Olympic Centennial Park area.” —Steve Grasso
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