Credit: Radisson Blu
CREATIVE stimulation is the focus of Radisson Blu’s new Experience Meetings programme, which was rolled out across the brand’s properties in Asia-Pacific this week following its implementation in other regions last year.
Designed to improve the effectiveness of meetings, the programme emphasises innovations in F&B, changes to the spatial environment as well as advancements in meeting technology.
“We want to offer something different and edgy with our Experience Meetings programme, to give meeting planners a bigger bang for their buck,” said Sandy Russell, vice president, commercial operations at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Asia-Pacific.
Experience Meetings feature Brain Box, a break-out room concept which creates a stimulating atmosphere through the use of bright colours and flexible furniture to boost creativity, encourage active participation and enhance delegate interaction.
Flexibility will be a key tenet of Brain Box, according to Russell, allowing for different room set-ups. For example, having discussions while sitting on swings hanging from the ceiling could pave way for easier conflict resolutions. Meeting sizes should also not exceed 50 pax in order to harness the creative room concept effectively, she added.
Another key feature of Experience Meetings is Brain Food, a culinary concept developed in consultation with nutrition experts and chefs to emphasise the use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients while maintaining great taste, low fat content and low added sugar. The result is food that helps delegates experience optimal concentration and minimal fatigue during meetings.
Additionally, Experience Meetings offers free Internet access and automatically purchases carbon credits to offset the estimated carbon footprint of every event.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily during the concept showcase at Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok on September 1, the hotel’s director of catering Chomwan Paoratsamee revealed that the programme has already been put to work by “more adventurous” Thai companies like SCG Paper.
Noting that Thai corporates are still more inclined to request for conventional meeting set-ups, Chomwan added: “We will actively promote Experience Meetings, especially to design companies and the more health-conscious segments.”
However, a more enthusiastic response is expected in India where “customers are open to new concepts”, said Russell who led the showcase to New Delhi two days later.
About 25 per cent of the business in Radisson Blu hotels in India is generated by the MICE segment, and “the country is poised for exponential growth in (this) sector”, she remarked.
Additional reporting from Rohit Kaul
