The Meetings Industry Has an Alcohol Problem. Now It’s Trying to Sober Up.  

Abundant alcohol has always been a hallmark of the meetings industry. A combination of factors creates the perfect storm: plentiful access (it’s the hospitality business), a high-pressure sales environment, and lots of on-the-job stress.

The industry has known it has a problem for many years. Since 2017, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has dedicated a room to be used for AA meetings from 4-5 p.m. every day at its convention. It is named “Friends of Bill W” after Bill Wilson, a co-founder of AA.

“Alcohol as a ‘social lubricant’ is ingrained in our culture, and generations of marketing have cemented it as essential for relaxation, easy connection and successful networking,” said Alyssa Hart, global sales manager at OTHR Agency. 

“Breaking away from that tradition takes intention, and it’s intimidating to be the first to try something different. That’s why it’s so crucial for meetings industry events to lead the way in creating inclusive NA connection spaces – ones that planners can experience, validate and bring back as fresh ideas to their own teams.”

A New Alcohol-Free Paradigm

Planner Sarah Reuter, CEO of Elevate Travel Co., speaks frankly online about her addiction to alcohol, which she mainly used to deal with job stress, especially during the pandemic. Sober for three and a half years now, she coaches others on restoring balance and does public speaking on redefining success.

She and other sober living spokespeople are creating a new paradigm – one that doesn’t include endless amounts of alcohol. 

“We have been a dis-eased industry for far too long,” she said. “It's time to stop constantly blaming others or our circumstances for our internal state of well-being and happiness. Here I am today, protecting my inner peace as a fun, alcohol-free experience designer, still curating epic events and meetings.

“Even though I no longer drink alcohol, I still love helping clients choose a great wine or beer pairing with their dinner. Many of our clients are open to the idea of a signature mocktail; however many venues are slow to the NA party and just don’t have quality ingredients or brands.”

It’s All About Inclusivity

A panel discussion during IMEX America in mid-October called Beyond the Bar, moderated by David T. Stevens®, PMED, explored how to redefine events. Among the panelists was reality TV star Carl Radke (of Bravo’s Summer House), a spokesperson for Loverboy’s non-alcoholic beverages. 

“You’re serving decaffeinated coffee, so why not do that with alcohol?” he told Skift Meetings after the event. 

Describing himself as an alcoholic, he says there’s a definite stigma around people who don’t drink. “I hope that with more options and alternatives, we will create a more inclusive environment. I also think we’ll also have more meaningful conversations at events, because people will be truly present.“

At the least, planners need to be aware that an estimated one-third of their attendees don’t drink, he said. One planner recalls getting an earful from an attendee recently because she did not serve any nonalcoholic beverages at the opening night cocktail party other than seltzer.

“I always thought of myself as being inclusive with our choice of speakers, our marketing messages, everything. But my focus for that evening was more about making sure we had a nice selection of wine than about accommodating our non-drinkers,” she admitted. “I won’t do that again.”

Hart suggests designating an intentional and named ‘sober space’ at an event and offering non-drinking social activities. “Some of the largest companies in the world have done this; there’s a group at Salesforce called ‘Soberforce’

“Designating spaces that are NA, in addition to having NA options, can be really powerful — especially for events heavy on booze. It could make a real impact.”