Cultural Experiences Fuel Business Travel, Says Hyatt
LONDON - Hyatt saw more than 147,000 meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) enquiries in Europe in 2024, an increase of 9.6% compared to 2023, driven by a growing demand for authentic cultural experiences embedded into business trips.
Hyatt's UK properties accounted for more than 25,000 of these enquiries, amounting to a 22% growth year on year. The UK market saw the highest number of MICE enquiries throughout the entirety of Europe, Africa and the Middle East (EAME), reflecting the popularity of Hyatt's UK portfolio amongst business travellers.
This comes as global business travel spending is projected to reach $1.64 trillion in 2025, up from $1.48 trillion in 2024, according to the Global Business Travel Association, signifying strong momentum for the continued recovery and growth of the segment. With global spending expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2028, the ways in which travel companies are agile in responding to evolving customer demands is critical.1
We are increasingly seeing business travellers look to make the most of trips by bolting on days to experience local surroundings. While business travel is well and truly back, there remains an undertone of cautious spending from travellers and companies, meaning this segment is more than ever about getting the highest return on investment from business trips. This also means that companies are laser focused on delivering high quality and engaging events that inspire productivity, requiring greater attention on unique and personalised settings, activities and F&B. Paul Dalgleish, VP Sales, Revenue and Business Development EAME
Dialling-up downtime with Together by Hyatt
Behind this growth lies Hyatt's world-renowned hotel brands and a strong, long-standing reputation in the corporate travel segment, which alongside its meetings and events platform, Together by Hyatt, allow for the delivery of best-in-class meetings and events. Together by Hyatt guides the way Hyatt properties create experiences and deliver more connected meetings and events, with organisers and guests at its heart. The platform provides event organisers with the tools, resources and support they need to deliver unique and elevated events, prioritising what matters most to them, whether that's wellbeing with waste reduction and thoughtfully sourced food, providing efficiencies through a real time planner portal, or curating unique experiences with bespoke event experience guides.
Shaping this growing demand is appetite for unique experiences that bring business travellers closer to the destination, whether that's through food, team building, or learning a new skill. From harvesting honey while learning about the environmental benefits of beekeeping in Jabal Akhdar during a stay at Alila Jabal Akhdar, to truffle hunting in the forests of Hungary while staying at Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest, or even unwinding with a yoga experience during a stay at Hôtel du Palais Biarritz - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, the opportunities to dial-up events via unique experiences are endless when partnering with Together by Hyatt.
Business travellers are particularly drawn to authentic lifestyle experiences. We are seeing strong demand for meaningful connections with local surroundings, whether that's through tasting local food, learning a new skill like beekeeping or exploring surrounding heritage. We only see this trend growing as demand for business travel continues on its upwards path, and travellers seek out the types of experiences that transform a business trip into a truly memorable experience. This is why we have ensured that across our brand bar, travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to elevating any business trip, from Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency in our Classics collection, to Lifestyle brands like Andaz and The Standard. Gareth Cummings, Regional Vice President EAME, Hyatt Sales Force
Bespoke buyouts in stunning locations
Pivotal to the evolving corporate travel sector is the growing appetite from larger corporates to privatise entire hotels for MICE purposes. Whether guests are delivering energised sessions in a conference room, practicing meditation under the stars or strengthening connections over an authentic dish, corporates are increasingly recognising the benefits of an exclusive buyout that enables any meeting, conference or event to be elevated. Hyatt is responding to this demand, alongside the desire for increased return on investment from events, by offering greater flexibility for customers to deliver tailored, exclusive events with a full or partial buyout at a Hyatt hotel across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The stunning properties companies can enjoy an exclusive buyout at across Europe, Africa and the Middle East include:
Alila Hinu Bay
Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences
Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas
Grand Hyatt Dubai
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla
Andaz Prague
Andaz Vienna am Belvedere
Hôtel du Palais Biarritz
Hyatt Centric Malta
Hyatt Regency Amsterdam
Park Hyatt London River Thames
Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa
Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort
La Zambra Resort
Magma Santorini
Secrets Lanzarote Resort and Spa
Zoëtry Mallorca
The term 'Hyatt' is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.
About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2024, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,350 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 78 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval®, Alila®, Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, Dream® Hotels, Hyatt Centric®, and Caption by Hyatt®; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt®, and JdV by Hyatt®; and the Inclusive Collection, including Impression by Secrets, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith™, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable when made, are inherently uncertain, and are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Kiraku, Inc. or Hyatt's control, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of their initial publication and neither party undertakes an obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements as actual events unfold, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.
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