Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center Announces Top Meeting Trends for 2014

Technology, Flexible Meeting Spaces and Teambuilding Activities among Trends Highlighted in State of the Meetings Industry Survey

Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center, by Destination Hotels and Resorts (Destination), supports results from a recent State of the Meetings Industry survey by Destination, indicating that the trends will be prevalent at its meeting venue located in the Lower Hudson Valley this year.

“Meeting trends that include emerging technology, flexible meeting spaces, and unique teambuilding activities have already become popular at Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center and we believe those trends will continue in 2014,” said Jamieson Asselta, Director of Sales. “We take pride in making sure we are proactively presenting new features for meeting planners and business executives, including innovative technology advancements and various spaces for all kinds of executive gatherings.”

Based on input from more than 180 corporate, association, independent and government meeting planners from around the country, the predictions from the Destination Hotels & Resorts State of the Meetings Industry survey are:

Location: Survey results indicate that “rate” is no longer the clear-cut feature in determining which hotel to pick for a meeting. Although still not an overwhelmingly dominant factor, 43.4 percent of the survey participants lists “location” as the top priority, suggesting a steady switch towards increased interest in what the destination has to offer. Tarrytown House Estate is just 20 miles from midtown Manhattan, providing geographic convenience for New York City executives and tri-state area corporate offices.

Technology: The increased need for a more encompassing technology service to suit the needs of globally-expanding companies and organizations will be prevalent this year.

Nearly half (48 percent) of meeting planners say 2014 meetings will have more of a technological footprint than in the past. Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center provides a 24-hour technology resource center to assist guests with technology and equipment needs, including:  on-site IT and audiovisual staff, complete audiovisual and videoconferencing services, an e-café with computer workstations, wireless high-speed internet access, LCD projectors, TV and video playback equipment, overhead projectors, lapel and handheld microphones, sound system, staging and lighting, video conferencing, and rear screen and movie projections. Overall, the property has increased its bandwidth to stay current with the continued demands for technology.

Flexible Meeting Spaces: Tarrytown House Estate on the Hudson provides business executives and meeting planners with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space. Planners seek out meeting spaces, as well as public areas, that can be utilized creatively in different ways for varied functions, from sit-down gatherings and ice breakers to brainstorming sessions.

Teambuilding: As supported by the 92 percent of the survey participants, teambuilding continues to be a strong industry trend, which IACC Certified Conference Centers naturally provide. In addition, planners will also seek unique locations where there is an opportunity to link corporate social responsibility with teambuilding activities, not only to benefit the meeting group, but the community in which the meeting takes place. Aside from its physical layout, which provides a natural team building atmosphere, a host of new teambuilding activities are available at Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center, including culinary competition teambuilding activities.

Food and Beverage: Diverse culinary offerings, from local products and healthy choices to Generation Y menu offerings, are paramount to groups. As culinary culture has taken over television screens in homes throughout the nation, Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center is giving meeting groups the chance to test their culinary skills – and engage in team building activities -- through a wide variety of live culinary experiences.

Money and Time: Twenty-six percent of planners expect spending on meetings to be greater in 2014, up 20 percent from last year; another 55 percent expect budgets to remain the same. Another core change is longer lead time, expected to range between two and six months in advance for 2014 bookings.

Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center is celebrating 50 years as the nation’s first conference center. Located in the Lower Hudson Valley, the property is the leading meeting and conference venue in the region bringing executives together for training and teambuilding opportunities. The Conference Center has set the standard to meet all physical and functional needs of various types of business gatherings. For more information, call (914) 591-8200 or visit www.tarrytownhouseestate.com. 

About Tarrytown House Estate

Celebrating 50 years as the nation’s first conference center, Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center is located just 25 miles from midtown Manhattan. A broad range of meeting packages, as well as custom conference options, provides planning flexibility and convenience. Set on 26 acres overlooking the Hudson River Valley, the Tarrytown House features impressive 19th-Century mansions, as well as a contemporary atrium-style building that houses over 30,000 square feet of meeting space for gatherings of all sizes, including IACC-certified conference facilities with unmatched technological capabilities. For more information, please contact the Tarrytown House at 1-800-553-8118 or check their Website at www.tarrytownhouseestate.com.

About Destination Hotels and Resorts

Destination Hotels and Resorts is the fourth largest hospitality management company in the U.S. with a portfolio of more than 40 independent luxury and upscale hotels and resorts across North America. Located in premier travel destinations including Aspen, Chicago, Denver, Lake Tahoe, Los Angeles, Maui, Miami, New Orleans, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Santa Fe, Seattle, Vail and Washington D.C., the award-winning company operates 21 golf courses, 18 full-service spas, seven IACC-certified conference centers and more than 125 unique culinary venues. Headquartered in Colorado, the privately-owned company is a subsidiary of Lowe Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based investment, development and real estate firm. For more information on Destination Hotels and Resorts, visit www.destinationhotels.com. Follow us on Twitter: @Destination. Like us on Facebook: DestinationHotels.

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