With everchanging restrictions on gatherings and travel globally, the pandemic brought business as usual to an abrupt halt – significantly so in the world of events. But disruptions can also be fertile ground for innovation, and the meetings industry is ready to meet this challenge. In this spirit, Marriott International set out to plan, conduct, and learn from our series of hybrid virtual and in-person events. We call our series Connect with Confidence and introduced it as an extension of our Marriott Bonvoy™ Events initiative. While more events are planned around the world, our first two hybrid events were:

The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, Virginia, USA:  In-Person: 44, Virtual: 238

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Colorado, USA: In-Person: 100, Virtual: 803

Drawing lessons learned from these hybrid in-person and virtual experiences, we created an in-depth report containing insights and best practices that offer practical considerations for event professionals as they plan engaging meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows, and special events in a time of seismic change for the industry.

We invite you to download the Connect with Confidence Hybrid Meetings and Events Insights Guide, which showcases the journey and offers guidance to design and implement hybrid events.  And visit www.marriottbonvoyevents.com for a complete library of hybrid event planning and communication resources.