#Trending This Week - The #1 Source Of Travel Inspiration, The Power Lunch Is Back, Lab-Grown Meats, And Room Service Demand Is On The Rise
Issue 145 • June 13, 2023
To paraphrase a Mark Twain quote, “The reports of the death of the power lunch are greatly exaggerated.” In fact, in New York City, the power lunch is back! But will those movers and shakers be dining on “lab-grown meats”? That’s a good question as one celebrity chef is so convinced about finding alternative ways to feed people, he’s invested in a lab-grown meat company. If you’re involved in the meetings and conference business, you may be hearing discussions from meeting planners who are struggling to incorporate ways of belonging into their functions. And, not surprisingly, we’re talking the death of the travel brochure as the number one source of travel inspiration is…. Check it all out in our three-minute read below.
Are Lab-Grown Meats About To Become A Thing?
Many chefs who are committed to sustainability are seeking alternatives to feed our planet. Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson is one of them. He’s so committed to this effort, he has partnered with Aleph Farms, an Israeli cellular-agriculture company focused on finding new ways to create animal products. And once the brand’s steaks are approved in the United States, he’ll also serve them at his restaurants. Would you eat lab grown meat? This might be a good question as sales of Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat seem to be sinking. Read more in Robb Report here.
Demand For Room Service Is On The Rise
Whereas many hotels have done away with room service — even before COVID — a new survey by Hotels.com is showing demand for room service is actually on the rise. While most people are ordering burgers, pizza, and other comfort foods, there are some guests pushing the boundaries of their room service experience. About 27% of the surveyed hotels said their guests will splurge on room service, spending over $100 on items like steak and champagne. And many hotels are really upping the ante by offering over-the-top room service including delivering in-room private recitals, a $1,600 burger (pictured above), toys, caviar, etc. Read more in USA Today here.
Meeting Planners Struggle With Embracing Belonging
One of the biggest issues today as meetings and conferences come roaring back is the concept of creating an atmosphere of belonging. Marriott recently hosted a conference with association planners and Marriott associates and also struggled with how to make attendees feel welcome and a part of the crowd. This is particularly true as three years of rapid retirement have resulted in younger attendees who are only interested in attending events which foster belonging, create community, and generate meaning. Read more in Skift here.
The #1 Source Of Travel Inspiration
Today’s travelers could really care less about glossy brochures with stock images of paradise. Instead, they want a glimpse of the real deal to inspire their next trip, which is why they so often turn to the forum which can truly offer the authenticity they seek: social media. When seeking inspiration, most travelers (52%) tend to default to their friends and family (surprise!). After that, social media is the next best source of travel inspiration (35%), already overtaking traditional channels including travel agents (29%) and TV/film entertainment (25%). Read more in PhocusWire here.
The Power Lunch Is Back
Business is still all about relationships and what better way to establish and maintain them than over lunch? Lunch dining is up 17% this year in New York, compared to last year, according to OpenTable. What’s changed in recent years is the crowd is more diverse and no longer made up of all Masters of the Universe. While the three-martini lunch is still happening, non-alcoholic cocktails are also quite prevalent. The bottom line is the need to “be seen” is driving the resurgence. Read more in Eater here.