LAS VEGAS — Caesars Palace may have just celebrated its 60th anniversary, but its eyes are on the future.
As millennials and Gen Z rise in the ranks, the importance of wellness is growing in the events industry — and nobody knows this better than Reina Herschdorfer, Director of Marketing, National Meetings & Events at Caesars Entertainment Meetings & Events.
Herschdorfer has been interested in wellness throughout her career, and she has made it a key part of Caesars’ strategy. She connected with Trade Show Executive’s Young Professionals Corner to discuss the power of wellness and provide actionable tips.
ANDREW: Why is wellness integral to the trade show industry?
REINA: Wellness has become a business strategy, not just an attendee perk. It directly impacts engagement, learning retention, networking effectiveness, attendee satisfaction and ultimately ROI.
Trade shows and conferences often involve travel, long days, high information consumption and packed schedules. When organizers intentionally incorporate wellness, attendees are more energized, focused and present. As a result, they participate more actively, absorb more content, make stronger connections and have a more positive overall experience.
Research shows that wellness-focused programming can increase participant satisfaction and engagement, while also contributing to higher Net Promoter Scores, stronger networking outcomes and improved brand perception.
People remember how an event made them feel. If wellness helps attendees leave feeling energized instead of exhausted, they are more likely to return, recommend the event and engage more deeply with sponsors, exhibitors and content. That’s a meaningful return on investment.
ANDREW: What started your interest in wellness and how has it upgraded your career?
REINA: My interest in wellness began long before it became a major industry trend. My first job after hotel school was at the Bonaventure Hotel & Spa, where I was exposed to wellness early in my career.
At the same time, I was deeply interested in nutrition and psychology, and had been reading Psychology Today since I was sixteen. I’ve always been fascinated by the connection between physical health, mental well-being and human performance.
During the pandemic, I became very active in yoga, which deepened my understanding of wellness as a daily practice rather than simply a luxury offering. Around that same time, Caesars Entertainment began incorporating wellness into its internal communications, which inspired me to think about how wellness could be integrated into meetings and events.
That inspiration led me to create a wellness menu for planners that included healthy food and beverage options, wellness practitioners and wellness-focused speakers. Later, we expanded that concept into a comprehensive Wellness Guide designed to make it easier for planners to incorporate wellness into their programs.
Professionally, it has allowed me to contribute to the industry in a meaningful way beyond traditional marketing, PR and event planning. I believe our industry has a unique opportunity to positively influence how people feel, connect, engage and perform through experiences. Wellness is one of the most effective tools for accomplishing that.
ANDREW: What have you learned about this field through your work?
REINA: One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that the demand is real and continues to grow.
Almost immediately after launching our wellness initiatives, we organized a Wellness Summit and later a Wellness Roadshow. The response from planners and industry professionals was overwhelmingly positive.
What’s especially exciting is seeing how quickly the industry has embraced the concept.
Today, many organizations are incorporating wellness into their programming, whether through mindfulness practices, movement sessions, healthier food and beverage offerings, recovery experiences or opportunities for reflection and connection.
I’ve learned that wellness is no longer viewed as an optional enhancement. It is increasingly becoming an expectation and an important part of designing meaningful attendee experiences.
ANDREW: How can organizers incorporate wellness easily and what advice would you give?
REINA: My advice is simple: Start small and weave wellness naturally into the attendee journey.
You don’t need to create an entire wellness track to make an impact. For example, you could start an opening keynote with a ten-minute EFT [Emotional Freedom Technique] tapping session led by a practitioner who explains the benefits before guiding attendees through the exercise.
Other easy ways to incorporate wellness include:
- Building intentional pauses into the agenda for reflection and recharging.
- Offering healthier food and beverage options.
- Including sophisticated non-alcoholic cocktails and wellness bars.
- Providing hydration stations.
- Encouraging movement breaks between sessions.
- Incorporating mindfulness, breathing exercises or gratitude practices before presentations.
The most successful wellness programs are integrated throughout the event rather than treated as a separate activity.
Related. Caesars’ Inaugural Global Wellness Summit Combines Wellbeing, Nature and Education
ANDREW: What are some misconceptions show organizers might have about wellness? Are there any strategies that should be avoided?
REINA: One of the biggest misconceptions is that attendees aren’t interested in wellness. Wellness is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, and attendee expectations have shifted dramatically.
We’re seeing this especially among younger generations. Gen Z is projected to make up approximately 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030, representing nearly 50 million workers.
This generation is bringing different expectations around health, balance, flexibility, inclusivity and well-being. Recent research also found that 50% of Gen Z say they do not consume alcohol.
As a result, planners should consider offering sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages, wellness bars, hydration stations and healthier food options alongside traditional offerings.
Wellness is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It is increasingly becoming an attendee expectation.
One strategy to avoid is treating wellness as a checkbox exercise. Wellness should feel authentic and thoughtfully integrated into the event experience. The goal is to create opportunities for well-being, not to force participation.
ANDREW: I know wellness is a major priority at Caesars Entertainment. How does it enhance events that take place at its venues?
REINA: At Caesars Entertainment, we view wellness as a strategic tool that helps planners achieve stronger event outcomes.
Our wellness offerings are designed to increase engagement, focus, satisfaction, information retention and attendee well-being. When attendees feel that their physical, mental and emotional needs are being considered, they are more likely to actively participate, network effectively and retain key content.
Research shows that wellness integration can increase participant satisfaction and engagement by up to 25%.
That’s why we’ve invested in wellness menus, wellness programming, speaker resources, wellness activations and our Wellness Guide. Our goal is to make it easy for planners to create experiences that deliver measurable ROI while creating a positive and lasting impact on attendees.
Planners can learn more through the Caesars Meetings Wellness Hub:
https://www.caesars.com/meetings/wellness
ANDREW: Can you share any examples of events that have benefited from incorporating wellness?
REINA: One of my favorite examples comes from a conference focused on legislation and policy, where the agenda centered on serious, highly analytical topics.
The organizers decided to open one of their sessions with a simple ten-minute guided breathwork exercise led by a wellness practitioner. Before leading the exercise, the practitioner explained the benefits of breathwork, including reducing stress, calming the nervous system, improving focus, increasing mental clarity, lowering anxiety and helping participants become more present and receptive to learning and collaboration.
The response was remarkable.
Attendees reported feeling more grounded, focused and engaged throughout the day. The exercise created a shared experience that shifted the tone of the conference and opened the door to deeper conversations and stronger connections among participants.
What stood out most was that such a small investment of time created such a meaningful impact. The feedback was so positive that the organizers requested a dedicated 45-minute wellness session for the following year’s conference.
For me, that’s a perfect example of how wellness can transform an event. The goal wasn’t to turn the conference into a wellness retreat. It was simply to help attendees arrive mentally and emotionally ready to engage.
Those ten minutes changed the dialogue, enhanced participation and demonstrated that wellness can be woven into any type of meeting, regardless of the subject matter.
ANDREW: How do you think wellness is changing?
REINA: Wellness is evolving from a standalone activity into a core design principle for meetings and events.
Years ago, wellness at conferences often meant an optional yoga class. Today, planners are taking a much more holistic approach that includes nutrition, mindfulness, recovery, movement, sleep, social connection, mental health and personal growth.
The shift is also being driven by workforce demographics. As Gen Z enters the workforce at scale, expectations around wellness, healthier choices, flexibility and purpose-driven experiences will continue to grow.
The future of wellness isn’t about creating separate wellness programs. It’s about designing event experiences that help people perform at their best, connect more meaningfully and leave feeling better than when they arrived.
To get an article about wellness in action, subscribe to TSE’s e-newsletter on LinkedIn or through your email.
