In Case You Missed It
This month on BizBash, we reported on AI's impact on the hospitality industry, with everything from automated lifeguard systems and personalized menus to housekeeping services and automated check-in. We also caught up with Shelley Elkins, the chief creative officer for global brand experience agency Jack Morton Worldwide, to learn about her favorite venues to entertain clients, get inspired, host a cool brand activation, and more.
Here are six more things you should know this month...
1. Menu presentations are getting increasingly creative.
Bars and restaurants have long been wowing us with their innovative cocktail ideas. But now, Punch reports, venues are increasingly relying on interactive, themed menus—like a Rubik's Cube menu at Bijou in Mexico City. "Though the traditional paper menu is not disappearing (despite QR codes’ best efforts), bars are now betting on a new kind of format," says the Punch story. "Sometimes 3D, often interactive, the new bar menu is more in line with the kinds of conceptual cocktails that modern bars are creating. Presentation matters—as seen in the rise of eye-catching foams and elaborate edible garnishes—and if we drink with our eyes first, it’s only logical that the look of a menu would impact our experience of the drink before it even arrives." Check out the full story here.
2. Las Vegas is the top destination for meetings growth.
That’s according to Knowland, a provider of data insights on meetings and events. The company reports that overall U.S. meeting and event volume for August 2023 was up 21% over August 2022—and much of that was centered on Las Vegas, which experienced 44% year-over-year growth in event volume for August. Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago rounded out the top five growth markets in a year-over-year comparison.
The news comes on the heels of a major data release from Knowland last month. Teaming up with hospitality tech company Amadeus, the company released its Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index in August—and it leaves reason for optimism, showing that 14 of the top 25 U.S. meeting markets have fully recovered group revenue in comparison to the same time in 2019. Leading the pack in the recovery? Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Phoenix, and Dallas.
3. This Miami hotel’s meeting space features 360-degree immersive mapping tech.
Speaking of Miami: W South Beach has unveiled a $6 million renovation to its ballroom and meeting space—and it comes equipped with 360-degree projection technology. Billed as the first hotel in North America to implement this type of tech in a meeting space, the feature can transform the 4,300-square-foot, blank-canvas ballroom with visual and audio effects. The built-in projection system is fully customizable with preset color scenes as well as a digital library of stills and video displays appropriate for weddings, corporate gatherings, and more. 
The ballroom can hold up to 250 people; it also features customizable LED lighting. “Imagine stepping into the ballroom and being instantly transported to the streets of London, the beaches in Rio, or the enchanting gardens of Kyoto,” said Rick Ueno, general manager of W South Beach. “For a decade, we’ve been the social center of Miami’s major cultural events—Art Basel, Miami Swim Week, and others—so it was time to up the ante and transform the way events and meetings are conducted on the beach.”Photo: Courtesy of W South Beach
4. Is stargazing the hottest new group experience?
It seems last month’s super blue moon may have ignited a renewed interest in stargazing—and hotels around the world are taking notice. A number of spots are now offering unique stargazing-centric experiences. Guests at Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island, for example, can attend informative sessions guided by expert astro guides and be equipped with top-of-the-line stargazing gear, while the new Hotel Moeesy, Blue & Green Oasis in Hvar, Croatia, invites guests to fall asleep under a blanket of stars in rooms with over-the-bed skylights. The Landings Resort and Spa in St. Lucia is hosting a stargazing-at-sea experience on a private yacht, while The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in London is offering one-hour private swims under the stars.
In the U.S., Chicago’s Drake Oak Brook has a Dessert by Starlight experience, which includes a private setup in the 10-acre gardens with a reserved telescope and star map. And in Arizona, Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock offers stargazing experiences every weekend—followed by boozy fireside S’more & Pour pairings.
5. A major new endeavor will manage partnerships at some of the world's most well-known venues.
MSG Entertainment, Sphere Entertainment, and the massive venue developer Oak View Group have teamed up to form Crown Properties Collection. The first-of-its-kind division will focus on managing marquee partnerships with sports and entertainment venues worldwide, starting with the buzzy new Sphere in Las Vegas along with Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and more in New York. Jay Voelker, who previously served as senior vice president of business development for the PGA Tour, will serve as president.
“Under Jay’s leadership, Crown Properties Collection will represent only the most valuable properties in all of sports and entertainment together with the most revolutionary venue in the world, Sphere in Las Vegas,” explained Oak View Group Chairman and CEO Tim Leiweke in a press release. “This, along with OVG’s already industry-leading global partnerships platform, which has proudly sold $4.5 billion in partnerships over the last five years, will create the largest partnership of its kind in the live industry and change the game for partnerships as we know it.”
6. Guests at a New York hotel are getting their own personal stylists.
How’s this for an over-the-top VIP experience? Kimpton Hotel Eventi in New York City has launched a new partnership with the personal stylists at Style Made Simple. Travelers staying in certain Eventi suites can now have access to personal stylists, either for a custom shopping itinerary or even a variety of preselected pieces chosen by a pro stylist.
Prior to their trip, guests will fill out a style questionnaire informing the Style Made Simple team about their desires and fashion goals. The team will then choose appropriate articles of clothing or stores to visit during the session. Guests will work with their stylist to choose a few new pieces to complement their current closet, or even overhaul their whole wardrobe with the help of style experts. Rates start at $1,850 (clothing purchases are extra) and include accommodations in a Kimpton Hotel Eventi suite, a $100 credit to dine in one of the property’s restaurants helmed by chef Laurent Tourondel, and a welcome gift upon check-in.
