The U.S. wellness market is worth $480 billion and is growing at 5-10% annually. the study Global Management Consulting Firm McKinsey & CompanyIn fact, 82% of U.S. consumers consider health and wellness a priority in their daily lives.
With an increasing focus on health and wellness on the consumer side, how can business events incorporate healthy activities, food and drink into their packed meeting, networking and exhibition schedules?
Meeting planners, media representatives, Caesars Entertainment Wellness experts from around the world gathered at the first Global Wellness Summit, held in Las Vegas from June 4 to 7. The event included a variety of topics, from mindful meditation and somatic breathing techniques to Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Tapping and Water and fire exercise(Stay tuned next week for a post on five wellness speakers to consider for your next event.)
“The primary purpose of the event was to introduce new wellness elements to our meeting planner menus,” Caesars Entertainment said. Marketing Director Raina Herschdorfer. ““By bringing wellness to the menu, we aim to create on-trend wellness activity events and give our clients even more options to delight and engage their attendees.”
Related: Caesars Entertainment Introduces Wellness Menu for Meetings
Want to know what to plan for your health? Here are 20 ideas.
A warm welcome. Transportation was provided from the airport to the hotel and a driver was waiting at baggage claim to take attendees to the venue. Nobu Hotel Las VegasAirport meet and greets are a nice addition if you have the budget or sponsorship, but if you don’t have the budget to cover transportation for everyone in your party, consider offering transportation for VIPs.
swagBefore the event, participants were sent a link and asked to choose the style and size of a T-shirt, tank top, or sweatshirt for their wellness activities. Lululemon Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve Shirt (breathable, quick-drying fabric) and the Ogio hoodie sweatshirt (super soft).
Lunch will be provided for those who arrive early. Caesars provided snacks (charcuterie, finger sandwiches, fruit, etc.) for those who arrived before hotel check-in. Lunch and badge pickup was at Nobu VillaThe penthouse suite offers 10,300 square feet, a rooftop patio, and amazing views of the Las Vegas Strip.
Spa treatments. Participants were also offered massages and facials. Kua Baths & Spa At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. With 56 treatment rooms, Qua offers a luxurious spa experience perfect for incentive groups and meetings. I opted for a facial and the aesthetician who treated me said she has been working for the company for over 10 years as she is very friendly.
Rooftop reception. The opening reception and dinner was held at Nobu Villa, where sushi chefs prepared fresh sushi and served it to guests who dined in the villa’s spacious indoor and outdoor spaces. Fun wellness activities took place during the opening reception: Diffuser Station Design by Scentexaura reading, crystal picking, etc. These activities were a great way to socialize with other participants while waiting in line.
Morning meeting. Participants met at 6:45 a.m. and filled refillable cups with coffee and water before departing by bus at 7 a.m. for Mount Charleston (about an hour from the Strip). Some participants got to know the people sitting next to them on the shuttle, while others caught up on emails and the news before losing cell service in the mountains.
Spring yoga in the mountains. The Springs Mountains National Recreation Area, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, provided a beautiful backdrop for a yin yoga session led by Gita Body founder Christine Frazzitta. Yoga mats with fresh flowers, eye masks and wraps were set up in the parking lot, overlooking the snowy mountaintops and towering pine trees nearby. Though Las Vegas was experiencing a record-breaking heatwave, temperatures on the mountain were about 20 degrees cooler.
Breakfast in nature. Following yoga, attendees enjoyed socializing over breakfast in one of two picnic areas. Caesars provided reusable lunch totes filled with naked smoothies, breakfast burritos, artisanal granola bars and cashew yogurt with fresh fruit.
hiking. Before the event, participants The difficulty of the hikes was rated easy, moderate or difficult, and colored stickers on the badges indicated which groups of participants should board designated buses. Spring Mountain National Recreation Area has over 50 miles of groomed trails. Each group was guided by a knowledgeable park ranger. Some listened to their guide talk about local history, plants and wildlife, while others interacted with other planners who shared the same interests. Our challenging hike was two miles of downhill and uphill and was certainly challenging.
Healthy lunch menu. One of the highlights of Caesar’s wellness menu was the Mediterranean Chopped Salad, which included romaine lettuce, feta cheese, red onion, cucumber, Castelvetrano olives, pepper onion, parsley, and heirloom tomatoes. For dessert, Caesar chose the Executive Pastry Chef Dorothy Pace She created crispy clouds with fresh berries and meringue made with half a cup of sugar, the recipe of which she shared with attendees.
Take a break with a healthy snack. During breaks, Caesars served immunity shots made with lemon cayenne, honey orange, turmeric, black pepper, pomegranate and vinegared ginger. Participants could also create their own trail mix by choosing dried fruit, nuts, seeds and granola.
Unique meeting spaces and seating. One afternoon, the session Mr. ChouThe restaurant features elegant white modern décor with unique design elements, including a moving moon sculpture suspended above the main dining room. After all the seating in the main dining room was removed, there was enough seating for meditation chairs on the plush blue carpet.
Water drop bar. Caesars provided attendees with refillable insulated water bottles and mobile water drop bars. TableauTap water (carbonated and still) was available during the event.
It’s not a banquet dinner. After the afternoon session at MR CHOW, space was cleared for dinner. MR CHOW’s sculpture, suspended from the domed ceiling in the center of the room, comes to life every 20 minutes, slowly transforming into different shapes. Participants savored the restaurant’s specialities, including chicken satay, green prawns, noodles and Peking duck.
Take a helicopter ride. Where can you get the best view of the Las Vegas Strip? From the air, of course. Maverick Helicopters met us at their headquarters adjacent to Harry Reid International Airport. During our 15-minute flight above the Strip, our group of five enjoyed views of the Sphere and Stratosphere. Maverick provided a framed photo of our group as we disembarked.
Rafting. On the second day, participants arrived at 6:45am and had a grab-and-go breakfast before departing at 7am. Hoover Dam RaftingDisclaimers were emailed prior to the event to ensure the onsite process went quickly and smoothly. Participants enjoyed a unique and inspiring half-day trip aboard a motorized inflatable boat through the spectacular Black Canyon, a natural gorge on the Colorado River just below Hoover Dam.
It’s not a ballroom lunch. After the rafting adventure, participants met for lunch. Brasserie B Created by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the restaurant across from the Nobu Hotel can be rented for private groups of up to 300 and serves delicious French-inspired brunch and dinner at Caesars Palace. The family-style lunch menu included Nicoise chopped salad, salade vert, slow-roasted salmon, chicken paillard, sautéed spinach, pommes puree, roasted asparagus, profiteroles, crème brûlée, and a thin apple tart for dessert.
Comfortable seating for your session. The afternoon session on the second day took place in the Milan I Ballroom. Commonwealth of AustraliaThe banquet hall offered a variety of seating options, from comfortable couches to plush chairs.
Wellness dinner menu. Highlights from Caesars’ Wellness Menu included gazpacho with diced tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, hard-boiled eggs, avocado and lobster chunks, a marinated tomato and mozzarella salad and a micro fruit plate with pineapple, cantaloupe, berries, pomegranate and Madagascar vanilla bean syrup.
Sound bath. Under a Gemini new moon, attendees practiced breathing exercises and sound healing in a guided meditation by Dani Kilpatrick at the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. As music and mood lighting played, some participants floated in the pool on oversized mattresses while others stretched out on yoga mats on the pool deck.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter hereListen to the latest podcasts here Interact with us LinkedIn!
