By HTN Staff - 10.5.2020
Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is tapping technology to launch enhanced meeting capabilities. The new initiative, announced last week, is designed to provide event planners with a set of solutions aimed at helping them drive corporate demand to a collection of upscale hotels that targets business travelers at a time when corporate event planning has all but fallen off a cliff.
Wyndham acquired Dolce in 2015 and has since invested heavily in promoting the brand internationally for business conferences and events. As of last year, there were 20 Dolce properties with 4,024 rooms.
The new initiative centers on a “hybrid meeting concept” at a selection of Dolce properties in Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Spain and Portugal, alongside a range of new planning services and enhanced hygiene protocols. It includes a blend of conventional meetings with virtual elements to suit new events’ needs in the age of a pandemic that has severely curtailed corporate gatherings of any kind.
The launch of the hybrid concept at eight Dolce hotels in Europe is part of long-term efforts to further expand (or at least preserve) Wyndham’s overall Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) offering in response to the unprecedented collapse in demand, with plans to roll out to more of Wyndham’s branded properties across Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa.
The group sales initiative incorporates live streaming to separate meeting rooms in the same location, large-scale online conferences and on-site broadcast studios connecting various Dolce hotels in Europe. According to a press statement, every event will come with a dedicated Dolce hybrid meeting expert, technology platform capabilities, high-speed internet and pre-event technical rehearsals.
“We are delighted to pilot these new meeting solutions, which perfectly complement our broader offering in the region,” said Julie White, Vice President Commercial EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “This new initiative enables us to support businesses as they transition through a new phase of remote working without compromising on the professional experience and flexibility they require. Providing an innovative service that combines elements of a physical and virtual meeting can help encourage higher attendance when faced with the current restrictions on meeting sizes and travel.”
The new offering also makes a point of prioritizing health and safety procedures. Specific measures include reconfigured event and meeting spaces to allow for social distancing and maximizing outdoor spaces where possible; the use of Ecolab’s industry leading disinfectants; sanitizer stations throughout venues; management of attendee flow; enhanced food handling and service guidelines that comply with local regulations and more elevated protocols to give guests peace of mind.
Last month, Wyndham, which ranks as the world’s largest hotel franchising company with more than 9,000 hotels across approximately 90 countries, launched its new mobile app for iOS and Android, combining best-in-class design with “personal experiences” and account management capabilities. Not surprisingly, the new app prioritizes low-contact and in-stay touchless features, handling everything from checking in to unlocking the room directly with mobile key capabilities.