Best of 2024: Health & Wellness

The way health and wellness is integrated into the events industry continues to evolve. There has been a major shift in wellness over the past few years, from simply enjoying a nice spa day (who could say no to that, though?) to prioritizing people’s daily well-being.

Last year’s health stories focused on growing concerns, from neurodiversity and accessibility to how people build well-being at work and in life.

How can planners help attendees feel a true sense of belonging through event design? What is the business case for consistent wellness programming at events? The health stories of 2024 already have the answers.

Neuroinclusion: activities for everyone

The term “neuroinclusion” builds on the concept of neurodiversity, the understanding that neurodivergence is not pathological, but merely cognitive differences, incorporating the understanding that neurodiversity is always present in the audience into event design.

Megan Henshall, head of global event solutions and strategy at Google and co-director of the Google Experience Institute (Google Xi), spoke to Smart Meetings about her pioneering work in neuroinclusive event design. Featured in the February 2024 magazine, Henshall’s insights provide planners with guidance on how to create neuroinclusive events and why it is critical as the industry evolves. Additionally, discover resources for further learning, such as the Professional’s Guide to Neuroinclusive Events, a handbook for designing neuroinclusive events developed by The Neu Project, a division of Google Xi.

The convergence of the events and wellness industries: Why meeting planners should care

David T. Stevens, co-founder of event wellness consulting firm Olympian Meeting and a leader in the wellness space, wrote this article assessing the connection between events and the wellness industry. Stevens explained that while Cvent CEO Reggie Agarwal said in late spring 2024 that commercial activity has become a $1.6 trillion industry, the wellness industry has become a $1.8 trillion industry. dollar industry, and linking the two industries provides a significant opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship.

Learn about the impact planners can have on attendees and ROI by integrating wellness into events with practical approaches.

Is there a formula for happiness? Arthur Brooks shares insights at DIAC24

Arthur Brooks, a professor at Harvard Business School and known as the “happiness expert”, will serve as the opening keynote speaker at the Destination International Annual Conference (DIAC24) in Tampa Bay in July 2024. At Harvard Business School, he teaches about the science of happiness, how the human brain processes happiness and how people can get more happiness in their lives. It’s one of the school’s most popular courses, with hundreds of people on the waiting list each semester. At DIAC24, Brooks gave the audience a crash course.

Luckily for you, Smart Meetings is there taking notes like crazy and bringing his expertise back to you. Read this story and discover the most impactful ways to create more happiness in your life and the lives of others.

Improve meeting quality through health

In this interview-style article, hear from experts on how wellness-focused hotels are innovating to make wellness more accessible to event attendees.

With so many wellness resorts on the market, it can be difficult to find the right one that fits your group’s specific needs and preferences. Professionals from Calabash Bay Resort & Spa in St. Lucia, Las Catalinas in Costa Rica, Ananda in the Indian Himalayas and Hotel Belmar in Costa Rica spoke about the unique wellness opportunities at their hotels.

Whether your attendees are hardcore outdoor adventurers or spa-goers, this story tells the story of how different wellness products can benefit attendees, and how the trend itself is evolving at conferences and events.

Alone in the crowd? It doesn’t have to be this way

Loneliness in today’s world is no secret. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling loneliness, isolation and lack of connection a public health crisis. This November 2024 magazine feature takes an in-depth look at the impact of widespread loneliness on the events world, where it comes from and the events industry’s power to counteract some of the major impacts.

Hear from leading experts in connection facilitation, including Naomi Clare Crellin, founder and CEO of Storycraft Lab; Victoria Matey, event psychology consultant and co-founder of Matey Events; Lisa Belanger, PhD, EMBA, founder and CEO of ConsciousWorks Officer; and Will Curran, creator of the #EventProfs community.

Additionally, you’ll find exciting developments in the industry designed to inspire more authentic, lasting connections, like the recently published The Belonging Playbook, a collaboration between Storycraft Labs and the Google Experience Institute on Creating Belonging in Event Design Sense of reference guide.