Corporate bookers prioritise wellness but delay committing to a venue

Research by Hand Picked Hotels reveals 77 per cent of corporate bookers prioritise wellness facilities when organising offsite meetings, but the trend of last-minute bookings remains strong.

The research conducted by One Poll on behalf of Hand Picked Hotels, a collection of 21 country houses and coastal retreats across the UK and Channel Islands, examined the priorities for 500 respondents booking meetings, events and conferences offsite in 2024. 

While the desire to meet in person is strong, 43 per cent of planners admitted to only booking a venue one to four weeks prior to an event. Only 2 per cent said they were booking meetings six months out. 

Hand Picked Hotels’ Ignace Bauwens, chief executive officer said: “At Hand Picked Hotels we appreciate the demands of a fast-paced corporate life, and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Our 21 unique venues each offer a variety of meeting spaces and facilities, meaning we can ensure delegates smoothly connect in a seamless way between business and well-being, and we put the guest experience top of our agenda every time.”

Planners top wellness priorities include:

1.           Nutritious food and beverage offering (48%)

2.           A wellness walk (34%)

3.           A wellness experience such as breathing and relaxation techniques or yoga (25%)

4.           Access to spas and health club facilities (24%)

5.           Outdoors activity (19%)

Planners cited the top six biggest benefits of breaking out to offsite meetings to be:

1.           Free from distractions (47%)

2.           Heightened employee engagement (43%) 

3.           Builds better workplace relations (38%)

4.           Generates stronger teams and teamwork (36%)

5.           Encourages creativity (33%)

6.           Increased productivity (29%) 

Hand Picked Hotel director of sales Ian Cross added: “Post pandemic we have seen an unprecedented surge in corporate bookings, with 60 per cent of enquiries requesting to incorporate mindfulness and wellbeing elements in away day bookings. This research also supports the industry trend of more off-site meetings being organised now, compared to five years ago, which is incredibly promising for us and our industry colleagues.”  

New for 2024, Hand Picked Hotels has launched Mindful Meetings, a short 15-minute session with breathing and relaxation techniques delivered by an expert, to help nurture attendees physical and mental wellbeing.