Wellness Is Not a Trend, It’s an Event Necessity

I just spent three days in Las Vegas. And no — I am not hungover, bloated, exhausted or broke. In what was probably an atypical Vegas experience, I enjoyed delicious zero-proof beverages; ate wonderfully wholesome foods; practiced meditation, mindfulness, stress-reduction techniques and breathwork; and spent several hours each day immersed in nature with 115 delightful people.

The occasion was the first-ever Global Wellness Summit hosted by Caesars Entertainment Meetings and Events. This gathering was created to showcase to clients and media the brand’s deep commitment to the health and well-being of team members and guests. The immersive experience highlighted the wide range of elements that can be integrated into events at Caesars properties in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Reno/Tahoe. See Caesars' complete Catering and Wellness Menu for details.

This was doubly interesting for me, as Northstar Meetings Group also prioritizes wellness internally and at our in-person events. I’m psyched to be on the planning team for our inaugural Luxury & Wellness Meetings hosted-buyer event at VEA Newport Beach, a Marriott Resort & Spa, in Newport Beach, Calif., Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2024. (Registration is now open for planners, suppliers and sponsors.)

Responding to growing demand

In the U.S. alone, the wellness market has reached $480 billion and is growing at 5 to 10 percent per year, according to recent research by McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm. Eighty-two percent of U.S. consumers now consider wellness a priority in their everyday lives, with similar findings for the United Kingdom (73 percent) and China (87 percent).

It naturally follows that more clients are asking for wellness-focused meetings elements, a priority Caesars already has integrated into its operations. Caesars employees have free access to fitness centers, classes, trainers, a medical clinic, nutritionists and a new counseling center. "We know we benefit when our team is healthy," said Kelly Gleeson Smith, vice president of sales for Caesars Entertainment. "The wellness summit gave us an opportunity to showcase what we can do, and the feedback has been outstanding. We are excited to further help our clients succeed in this way."

What’s new is a curated menu of options — including food-and-beverage selections, speakers, activities and activations — designed to incorporate health-focused choices into the planning process seamlessly.

Health is more important than work

This focus on wellness is neither new nor a fad. Deloitte, one of the largest professional services organization in the world, has been studying wellness priorities and initiatives among employees and employers for years, with striking results. In the most recent Well-Being at Work survey, released last June, 84 percent of employees stated that improving their well-being was a top priority for the year, and 74 percent considered it more important than advancing their careers. However, work is the biggest obstacle to achieving this goal, with stressful jobs, long hours and heavy workloads being the most prevalent barriers.

Closing the perception gap

Managers agree that wellness should be a workplace priority, according to Deloitte’s research, but 70 percent say organizational obstacles prevent them from doing more to support their team members’ well-being. The imperative needs to come from the top, but leadership’s perception often conflicts with employees’ perceived reality. While 84 percent of C-level executives say their companies have made public commitments to workforce well-being, only 39 percent of employees agree.

Fortunately, leaders recognize the need for improvement; 85 percent stated in 2023 that they intend become more responsible for workforce well-being in 2024 and 2025.