Akash Kalia, Commercial Director, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore explains how hybrid meetings may not be an overall new concept to the hotel industry, COVID-19 has forced small and large businesses around the world to adopt to a more remote working overnight. Most organisations which were initially sceptical of embracing the hybrid model of meetings with small in-person audiences and larger virtual audiences are suddenly following the suit for reasons of safety and security, limitation in schedules, overall reach, etc.
Since the nationwide lockdown, we have been discussing that small will be the new big. The amazing part of this analogy is that this is not limited to corporate events but also extends to weddings, celebrations and other events. With the restrictions in place in the number of people who can gather for an event, hybrid meetings have gained adoption, acceptance, and execution in the short term to combat the new normal. Customers who engage in such events look at a high level of customisation, creativity, increased bandwidth, over the top setups, to name a few.
In the short and medium term, until there is some form of certainty in all the uncertainty around us, corporates are also exploring contingency options. With the current limitation of 33% workforce at work and Work from Home having its own nuances, if not permanently, large corporates are discovering possibilities to allow employees to work from professional, safe, hygienic and clean work spaces. Therefore, hotels become the natural choice as they have enough room to allow physical distancing and ensure the well-being of guests without compromising on hygiene.
Building on the Hilton CleanStay programme, Hilton is now introducing Hilton EventReady with CleanStay, a programme that will help shape the future of meetings and events. It is designed to deliver cleanliness, flexibility, safe and socially responsible event solutions along with creative food and beverage, thoughtful technology resources, elevated standards and practices with redesigned spaces for physical distancing, and reimagined ways to meet and gather. The goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment for event planners and their attendees.
Guests want to work in spaces that offer them a professional set-up and an opportunity to network with co-workers. At DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore, it’s about having a comfortable place to meet your business needs and a great ambiance where you can really feel at home.
