The ways in which health and wellness fit into the events industry continue to evolve. In the past few years, there has been a major shift from wellness being simply about a good spa day (though, who could say no to that?) to prioritizing the day-to-day well-being of people.
The past year’s health and wellness stories have focused on matters of growing concern, from neurodiversity and accessibility to how people can build their sense of happiness in work as well as in life.
How can planners help their attendees to feel a sense of genuine belonging through their event design? What’s the business case for having consistent wellness programming in events? The health and wellness stories of 2024 have the answers.
Neuroinclusion: Events for Everyone
The term “neuroinclusion” builds on the concept of neurodiversity—the understanding that neurological differences are not pathological but simply differences in cognition—to incorporate the understanding that neurodiversity will always exist in an audience into event design.
Megan Henshall, global event solutions, strategic lead at Google and co-lead of the Google Experience Institute (Google Xi) spoke to Smart Meetings about her pioneering work in neuroinclusive event design. In this February 2024 magazine feature story, Henshall’s insights provide guidance to planners around how to create neuroinclusive events and why it’s crucial as the industry evolves. Plus, discover resources for further learning, such as “An Event Professional’s Guide to Neuroinclusion,” a handbook for neuroinclusive event design developed by The Neu Project, an offshoot of Google Xi.
The Convergence of the Events and Wellness Industries: Why Meeting Planners Should Care
Co-founder of event-wellness consulting firm Olympian Meeting and leader in the wellness space David T. Stevens penned this article evaluating the link between the events and wellness industries. When Cvent CEO Reggie Agarwal shared in late spring 2024 that business events has become a $1.6 trillion industry, Stevens explains, the wellness industry has become a $1.8 trillion industry—and that linking the two industries provides a major opportunity to build a mutually beneficial relationship.
Discover the impact that planners can have on attendees and ROI by incorporating wellness into events, alongside practical ways to do so.
Is There a Formula for Happiness? Arthur Brooks Shares Insights at DIAC24
Arthur Brooks, a Harvard School of Business professor and known “happiness expert,” stepped in as the opening keynote speaker at Destinations International’s Annual Conference (DIAC24) in Tampa Bay in July 2024. At the Harvard School of Business, he teaches a course on the science of happiness, how the human brain processes it and how people can get more of it in their lives. It is one of the most popular classes at the school, with hundreds on the waiting list every semester. At DIAC24, Brooks offered the audience a crash course.
Lucky for you, Smart Meetings was there furiously taking notes to bring his expertise back to you. Read this story to discover the most impactful ways to create more happiness in your life and the lives of others.
Elevating Meetings Through Wellness
In this interview-format article, hear it right from the experts themselves: how wellness-focused properties are innovating to make wellness even more accessible for event attendees.
With so many wellness resorts on the market, it can be hard to find the right one to suit your group’s specific needs and preferences. Professionals representing Calabash Cove Resort & Spa in St. Lucia, Las Catalinas in Costa Rica, Ananda in the Himalayas in India and Hotel Belmar in Costa Rica speak to their properties’ unique set of wellness opportunities.
Whether your attendees are hardcore outdoor adventurers or frequent visitors of the spa, this story addresses how different wellness offerings can benefit attendees and how the trend itself is evolving in meetings and events.
Alone in the Crowd? It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way
The scope of loneliness throughout the modern-day world is no secret. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory calling loneliness, isolation and lack of connection a public health crisis. This November 2024 magazine feature story digs into the impact of widespread loneliness on the world of events, as well as where it came from and the power the events industry has to counteract some of the major effects.
Hear from leading experts in connection facilitation, including Naomi Clare Crellin, founder and CEO of Storycraft Lab; Victoria Matey, event psychology advisor and co-founder of Matey Events; Lisa Belanger, Ph.D., EMBA, founder and CEO of ConsciousWorks; and Will Curran, creator of #EventProfs Community.
Plus, discover exciting developments in the industry geared towards inspiring ever more genuine and lasting connection, like the recent publication of The Belonging Playbook, a reference guide to creating belonging in event design developed as a collaboration between Storycraft Labs and the Google Experience Institute.
