These days, going to a conference isn’t just about the keynote speakers or networking sessions — it’s also about how attendees feel when it’s over. More events are prioritizing wellness, from the food on your plate to the air in the room.
“If I’m taking time out of my schedule to go to an event, I want it to be balanced and help me become stronger for myself and my company,” said Rachael Riggs, general manager of environmental strategy and subject matter expert on wellbeing at Maritz.
Hotels and destinations are responding. At Hilton, Kelly Knowlen, vice president of sales engagement, said attendees are arriving with new preferences and the company is providing healthier food options and spaces that foster relaxation.
Hyatt has launched a Wellbeing Collective Advisory Board that includes Deepak Chopra, Ally Love, and Dr. John Scott.
The First Ingredient: Food
For many planners, food is the core of wellness programs.
“What you eat during the day contributes to how social you want to be and how open your mind will be,” said Riggs. “Many planners don’t realize how significant food choices are for physical and mental well-being.”
Hyatt’s “menu of the day” features ingredients that are locally sourced and in season, said Steve Enselein, SVP of events, Hyatt Hotels. “In addition to conserving on food waste, it also helps with dietary preferences. ”
Seasonal vegetables and fruits, mains like chicken, fish, and vegetarian offerings, and healthy desserts are featured.
At MGM Grand Las Vegas, Stay Well menus are approved by Cleveland Clinic nutritionists. One planner had the chef speak at a lunch she hosted at the hotel.
“Many properties say they offer healthy options, but to have the chefs walk you through how the food is prepared takes it to another level,” she said.
Caesars offers fruit, yogurt parfaits, quinoa salads, and kombucha. Beyond food, the wellness menu includes curated activities like yoga, tai chi, guided hikes, and sound bath meditations.
Mindful Meeting Design
Wellness also shows up in how meetings are structured.
Hyatt’s Mindful Meetings Guide builds in reflective moments and pause points. In addition, attendees can access in-room and onsite content from Headspace, Peloton, and MasterClass.
At MGM Resorts, Stay Well Meetings use circadian lighting and air purification systems designed in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic.
One corporate planner said, based on the favorable attendee response, that she returned to the MGM Grand Las Vegas for three consecutive years.
“Attendees loved the air purification systems in the guest rooms and meeting rooms, and how they left after three days feeling healthier than when they arrived. With so many meetings in big hotels, it’s the exact opposite — the air can make you sick.”
Avoiding Wellness-Washing
As more events add wellness elements, superficial gestures like a mid-morning smoothie break can come across as “wellness-washing.”
“It’s not about checking a box,” said Riggs. “You have to think about human behavior and design events around that from the very beginning.”
That means rethinking structure: longer breaks, buffer time between sessions, and short, optional movement bursts throughout the day. Hotels and conference centers that embed wellness into their physical and programmatic design have an advantage.
Wellness in Action
Chartis, a healthcare consulting company, dedicates an entire afternoon of its internal events to wellness activities like yoga, meditation, sound healing, and bootcamp workouts.
“Wellness is a must for us. We want our colleagues to find time to relax at our event, allowing them to feel recharged coming out of the week,” said Emily Nuzzo-Fouts, events and connectivity manager at Chartis. “We also think it is important to get colleagues up and out of their seats, connecting with others and enjoying a shared experience together. We really try to strike a balance between content and connectivity.”
The annual Art and Science of Health Promotion conference, led by the Global Wellness Institute’s Workplace Wellbeing Initiative, integrates wellness throughout. Attendees start and end each day with activity sessions, from tai chi to meditation. Meals eliminate sugary sodas and emphasize vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices. Plenary rooms feature standing tables. And late-night receptions are off the agenda entirely.
“We don’t want attendees dragging by the end,” said Jessica Grossmeier, who chairs the initiative. “They should leave energized, not depleted.”
