meetings

You've just opened a hotel in Lille, in one of the city's flagship developments, "31", rue de Béthune. What are the assets of this new establishment? Solenne Devys - This is a very special project, as it's part of the conversion of the former Galeries Lafayette, which is being carried out by Vinci Immobilier and Redevco on...

As business travel prepares to return to a more normal routine, NH Hotels is offering new benefits and discounts to companies. The Spanish group has just unveiled its NH+ Business programme, which includes discounts on accommodation and other privileges. The discounts are based on the number of nights spent in the group's hotels....

Chicago has a new hotel, one that is sure to rival the finest establishments in the North American metropolis: the Pendry Chicago. Located in the heart of the Loop business district, close to the Magnificent Mile and the headquarters of a number of major companies and dynamic start-ups, the hotel is housed in an Art Deco building...

The Hyatt group has just opened a new hotel in Shanghai in the Songjiang district, a district with an ancient history, with cultural heritage dating back 6,000 years, but which is also rooted in modernity. This economic and technological development zone, home to thousands of companies and seven universities, is the spearhead of Shanghai's economic and social development.

It's sure to be the next guest of honour at corporate meetings and major conferences. Sustainable development is taking pride of place in the MICE sector, and will undoubtedly play a key role in its recovery after the long wait caused by the pandemic. Companies are becoming more and more involved in...

Sustainable development will undoubtedly be one of the key factors in the upturn in business travel. In the Netherlands, Hilton is offering companies the chance to offset the environmental impact of their meetings and events involving 10 or more participants. The offer is free of charge, thanks to a partnership with the South Pole group, one of the world's leading...

Singaporean hotelier Pan Pacific is preparing to make a big splash in Europe by setting up shop in London at the end of next summer. The group now has around thirty hotels, mainly in Asia, but also in North America - in Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and the Whistler ski resort. And business travellers...

The InterContinental brand is preparing its arrival in Barcelona at the end of next summer. The IHG group is transforming the former Crowne Plaza Barcelona - Fira Center into a luxury hotel with a discreet and sophisticated aesthetic. It will also be a responsible hotel, as it will be awarded Biosphere certification as soon as it opens. Located in the...

Like most major hotel groups, Four Seasons is moving into hybrid meetings with a new offering designed for these half virtual, half face-to-face events. "We've adapted to a world where we connect more than ever virtually," said Ben Trodd, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for the luxury group. Until now...

National authorities, airlines, airports, even hotel groups: all these stakeholders in business travel are speeding up the deployment of solutions to organise a return to activity that is as "normal" as possible. And they are doing so with different partners, following different options, but with a common desire: to reopen the tourism sector while ensuring the safety of the...

The consensus is that hybrid meetings are the medium-term future of corporate events, and one of the conditions for the gradual revival of the MICE business in a health context that is still faltering. "On the one hand, companies have learned to conduct their business remotely; on the other, they recognise the benefits of bringing their teams together physically. It's...

Some parts of the world, notably China and the Middle East, are showing positive signs in terms of hotel activity. What is the outlook for Europe? David Kelly - As the roll-out of vaccination accelerates and travel restrictions are eased, we do see travel demand picking up...

Like Rome, the digitalisation of meetings will not happen overnight. And as always - but even more so when it comes to technology - there are the 'early adopters' and those who are following suit, as best they can. "Some of our customers are well ahead of the game, and know exactly what they need to...

Half-half... There is in these associations a shadow of indecision, a kind of doubt, a mixed feeling. It's half goat, half cabbage, half fig, half grapes... Nothing, in any case, that is synonymous with a successful and constructive meeting. And yet, the "half and half" combination - in this case, half-present and half-distinct - has every chance of serving as a framework for...

Combining face-to-face and remote meetings, hybrid meetings are both the present and the future of business meetings. They are a response to companies' current needs, between health security and the need to maintain business relationships. But it's also a solution that looks to the future, with the prospect of business travel being limited to what's necessary,...

Hyatt has just passed the 1,000-hotel mark worldwide with the opening of Alila Napa Valley, a 68-room luxury resort surrounded by vineyards and located in the heart of the Beringer estate. The American group will continue to expand in 2021, notably through the growth of its lifestyle brands, which have been acquired...

Week after week, hybrid events are taking a little more shape within hotel groups. Following on from Marriott's announcement a few days ago of details of the roll-out of its Connect with Confidence programme in North America, and Accor's announcement of the All Connect hybrid meeting concept in...

It is almost a year since the teleworking revolution revolutionised the professional and personal environment of a majority of employees. No longer able to travel, business travellers have been forced to go entirely virtual for their meetings and events. At the end of this very special year, what conclusions can we draw from an experience that was unprecedented for many? A...

With Wi-Fi available even on trains and planes, ever more powerful telephones and a wide choice of videoconferencing solutions, it's been a few years now that new technologies seem to be powerful enough to allow you to work from almost anywhere. So this year has been a real-life test to see whether or not this trend can be...