Radisson Hotel Group

Raul Alvarez Barrera

2023 is shaping up to be a strong year for the global meetings and events industry. While there continues to be interest in virtual and hybrid meetings, live events are driving the biggest demand across meetings and events as companies recognize the value and importance of bringing employees together and prioritize building connection and networking opportunities. In some countries, Radisson Hotel Group has already seen the M&E business return to 2019 levels.

In response to the rapidly changing landscape in which meeting organizers need to book meetings and events ever more swiftly, the Group is rolling out its innovative realtime, online instant booking platform, Book it Easy to provide planners with new ways to explore and book the Group’s hotel spaces with industry-leading technological and digital innovation. This best-in-class digital solution features innovative interactive content and technology combining immersive virtual tours, floor plans, and doll house views, allowing meeting and event organizers to save hours of precious time.

Radisson Hotel Group’s Book It Easy platform allows planners to plan, organize, and book events seamlessly, simplifying the venue sourcing and booking process online. Planners can simply enter their event details and review real-time availability based on specific event requirements, as well as packages (DDR) available. Bespoke filters assist with the hotel and event selection, for example room shapes, price range, hotel brand, etc. as well as the ability to click-on a map view to see the location of the different event spaces in the city. From here, planners can measure the room, check alternative setups thanks to ground-breaking immersive virtual tours, book their preferred venue, and receive instant booking confirmation. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) can be quoted directly for small and medium events in addition to personalized requests based on specific event demands. The integration of digital tours on the website has resulted in an over 350% increase in click throughs in 2022.

Book It Easy was created using key insight from focus groups consisting of event planners who found the platform as being one of the best thought-through M&E booking platforms from a hotel group they tested so far. The platform’s 360 immersive content was praised by every focus group member and flagged as a critical element to not only give them the confidence to book online, but also save them time, which was seen as the biggest and most valuable benefit.

The tool is fully compatible with the Group’s unified technology platform to allow for real-time availability and transparent pricing based on event requirements throughout the booking process. Built with a microservices architecture, the tool provides a swift and seamless user experience and scalability, backed by rigorous privacy and security testing.

Earlier this year, Radisson Hotel Group was recognized for its digital innovation and technological advancements as a finalist in the CXA 23 Awards in two categories, including “Best use of Technology: Immersive experience to drive customer engagement and booking conversions”. The Group will be announcing new innovative features, which are currently in development for this platform, and wider digital technology plans as part of its ongoing digital investment and online M&E transformation strategy.