Asia-Pacific is experiencing an event boom, driven by a hunger for face-to-face networking. The key for modern venues is to adopt cutting-edge technology to foster, rather than automate away, authentic human connection, indicates Kate Atkinson, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts' vice president of global sales, Asia Pacific.
Technology brings people together like never before, but it can also be isolating as we focus more on screens, AI tools and virtual worlds.
As demand for in-person meetings and events rises, venues must increasingly manage the tension between technological connection and isolation. Such gatherings are now “smarter” than ever, from the virtual-hybrid technologies that arose during the pandemic to the AI-powered transcription, planning and networking tools emerging today.
Modern event spaces must adopt the latest tech tools or be left behind. But simply having these tools isn’t enough. To truly engage, excite and motivate attendees, hosts must use technology to enhance human connection, not replace or automate it.
At Hyatt, we believe technologies like AI can help deliver personalised experiences at scale, improve operational efficiency and support faster and smarter decisions. By using latest technology to streamline the event experience, we ultimately create more opportunities to focus on agendas enriched with moments of wellbeing and interaction.
Asia-Pacific’s events boom
Demand for meetings and events is on the rise in Asia-Pacific, as people seek to forge new connections and reinforce existing networks. The region is the fastest-growing market for meetings and events, with a CAGR of 16.5 per cent compared to 13.4 per cent worldwide, according to Mordor Intelligence.
In-person events play a growing role. About three-quarters of meetings in 2025 have an in-person component, according to AMEX GBT data analysed by Hyatt, up from 71 per cent last year and indicative of a trend. Meanwhile, research by Cvent showed networking was the main driver of face-to-face gatherings.
These data suggest an appetite for personal connection that event hosts should use to their advantage. The latest technology can be used to make people feel welcome, but it does best when it gets out of the way.
How tech tools enable personal connection
The best events give people plenty of chances for spontaneous encounters with colleagues while also ensuring participants are at their best, mentally and physically. Advanced tech tools can help facilitate these priorities, in concert with a deft human touch.
Personalisation is key when it comes to AI enhancing the event experience, and AI is increasingly used in the planning stage as well. Especially at hotels, where participants spend their most personal moments of sleep, grooming and dining, the balance of tech-powered convenience and personal attention must be just right.
This balance means letting technology smooth experiences but not rush them: AI-powered information-retrieval tools help staff support guests quickly and efficiently, for example, minimising the time guests need to spend working out logistics, and maximising the time they spend with each other.
Similarly, digital tools enable guests to have control over their hotel experience with options for mobile check-in, housekeeping scheduling and mobile food ordering. All of these things add customisation, but do not detract from personalisation.
For event planners, AI tools such as Hyatt’s Planner Portal enable organisers to more effectively choreograph events with a minimum of site visits, reducing administration, enhancing cost effectiveness and freeing up organisers’ time for more personal attention.
In a wired world, meetings and events are an increasingly valuable chance for people to connect with one another without a screen between them. We should seek to elevate these moments, facilitated by technology but not defined by it.
Kate Atkinson is vice president of global sales, Asia Pacific, at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. She leads sales strategy and initiatives across all business segments in the region – including luxury, leisure, group, and corporate transient. Atkinson also serves as vice president of commercial performance, Pacific, where she is responsible for driving commercial outcomes and optimising business performance for hotels in the Pacific region.
