At our recent Elevate event, we asked: What if arrival wasn’t a checkpoint, but the first intentional moment of connection? Because today’s attendees don’t just want to attend, they want to feel known.
That question became the foundation for a reimagined arrivals and registration experience designed to feel more like the personalized interactions people expect in their everyday lives. We asked our partner, Hello! Destination Management, to help us design this new experience, and they rose to the challenge!
From Data Collection to Intentional Design
The shift started before our guests even arrived. During online registration, we asked simple but meaningful questions, including:
- “Where do you feel most alive?”
- “What joy anchors your week?”
Rather than simply collecting information for logistics, we used it to shape how people would arrive, engage and connect.
Replacing the Counter With a Curated Experience
Instead of walking up to a registration desk, guests were welcomed by a Maritz team member and guided into the Elevation Lounge, a thoughtfully designed environment with six distinct lounge spaces: each reflecting guest preferences, moods and ways of connecting — and all with a nod to our destination. Each guest was welcomed into a lounge intentionally matched to their preferences, based on their registration responses.
Meanwhile, the traditional mechanics of registration didn’t disappear. They moved out of sight. Behind the scenes, badges were prepared and delivered directly to guests while they chatted with Maritz hosts and settled into the space.
No lines. No waiting. No friction. Just a seamless transition into the experience.
Designing for Connection from the First Moment
Even the name badge became part of the intentional design. Instead of serving only as identification, it reflected small personal insights gathered during registration, which offered both points of connection and natural conversation starters, making it easier for guests to engage in a meaningful way.
From the moment guests arrived, the experience signaled something different: You’re not just here. You’re known.
The Elevation Lounge
At the center of the arrival experience was the Elevation Lounge, built around one guiding principle: connection looks different for everyone.
Inspired by attendee responses and grounded in the spirit of Scottsdale, the lounge featured six environments shaped by the “Five Cs of Arizona” plus a bonus “C.”
- Home (Citrus) – A space for comfort and ease, where conversation could start naturally
- Nature (Climate) – A calming environment designed for presence and reflection
- In Motion (Copper) – A more dynamic space encouraging energy and spontaneous interaction
- Community (Cattle) – Built around shared experiences and storytelling
- Quiet Corner (Cotton) – A retreat for recharging or deeper, one-on-one conversations
- Creative Studio – A hub for collaboration and idea exchange
Rather than forcing a single mode of engagement, the design guided guests to a starting point aligned to their preferences.
A New Starting Point for Events
By rethinking arrival as a designed experience, not just an operational task, Elevate 2026 created a more intentional starting point for connection — one that set the tone for every experience that followed.
It’s a reminder that the most impactful event design doesn’t start on stage. It starts the moment your guests arrive.
