As the current pandemic made significant changes in our lives, it also brought about changes in the meeting industry.

With this in mind, Marriott International offers innovative solutions for hybrid meetings and events. The expansion of the Connect with Confidence program will be available next month at Marriott hotels all over the United States and Canada, with global availability in the upcoming years.

Innovations on meetings and events

Various meetings and events these days greatly changed. Hybrid meetings serve as a way to provide an immersive, engaging experience that incorporates virtual participation and in-person experiences with the help of the latest technology.

What Marriott International has to offer

Marriott came up with a selection of providers including Event, Encore, Convene, Hopin, and MeetingPlay that offer technology solutions to host hybrid meetings.

These selected providers showcase a variety of features and services that allow hybrid meetings across Marriott hotels in the United States and Canada.

There have been several Connect with Confidence meetings by Marriott that utilize the latest hybrid meeting technology. The recent event included 100 in-person attendees and up to 800 virtual participants at Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in January 2021.

Participants of the event were provided with details regarding planning and implementing an in-person event along with cleanliness protocols, redesigned food and beverage, physical and social distancing, well-being checks, contactless check-in, occupancy monitoring, and many more.

Positive outlook

The survey from the event revealed that around 51% of the participants are arranging a hybrid event in the coming months. When participants were asked if they would take part in another event using the same principles, around 95% stated that they would.

Final thoughts

When it comes to the latest innovations in the meetings and events industry, it is possible to communicate and work together whether in-person or virtually. Learning and making connections is achievable despite the limitations brought about by the pandemic.

Marriott shared insights and best practices from the events in its Connect with Confidence Hybrid Meetings and Events Insights Guide which features the journey and offers guidance on how to design and implement hybrid events.