When you make decisions in a hotel, you share a fear with everyone in the same position as you. The fear of falling behind industry trends. You're probably here for that reason: to find out what has happened recently in the hotel industry
In order to help you plan your route, we've created a whitepaper. Our team has interviewed prominent hoteliers and journalists. Premium content that you will find below these lines.
“Never settle for anything less than your best”. Making the guest experience better every day is not enough. Benchmarking is an important tool when it comes to providing world-class travel experiences.
This is because trends change quickly, thanks to technology. Due to digital innovations, we have access to more and better solutions to create unforgettable experiences.
There is no time to relax.
Over the past 24 months, this has become obvious. The pandemic has accelerated the changes the sector was already undergoing. Both in large and small hotels, and even in vacation rentals.
Technological tools have gone from being an option to a “must”. Digitization, sustainability, paperless experience...
These are all necessary –but not sufficient– to make your hotel stand out from the rest. Whether you are a hotel operations director, revenue manager, or food and beverage manager... you need to keep up to date.
4 hospitality trends to watch out for in 2022
You have come to the right place. With specific examples, industry leaders have described how they are incorporating new trends into their daily routines in our whitepaper. And where the hotel industry is going.
Mobile phones, technology, eco-friendly practices, and the streamline of processes are at the heart of this change.
Keeping up with these experts’ opinions it’s the best thing you can do, since they hold important positions within successful hotel chains. Our whitepaper, available at the bottom of the page, outlines their predictions and conclusions in detail. Here is a brief overview:
👉 Let your staff become your ambassadors
👉 Sustainability: a key factor in a guest’s hotel stay
👉 Mobiles, crucial in the hotel business
👉 The focus of business travel must be local
As aforementioned, you will find more trends when you download our whitepaper. Take for granted that they will affect all departments of hospitality businesses.
So much so that they will even impact the interior design of hotel rooms, which are set to use sustainable materials. They will also influence the social media department, which will transmit all these technological, ecological, and human values. And of course, the different departments the guest will deal with during their stay. All the way from housekeeping to room service and innovation.
1. Don't burden your employees with mechanical tasks and let them shine
Traditionally, receptionist work has been tedious. Several routines are repeated tens of times every hour: ensuring that the guest knows the wifi password…. The breakfast time.... The loyalty program...
However, none of these routines have any impact on the guest experience. An honest, personalized approach is what the client really wants. To put it simply, a humane treatment.
Before technology, this was a utopia. Today, it's possible thanks to guest experience apps. All the information the tourist needs is on his mobile device. Receptionists no longer have to behave like robots. Instead, they must become ambassadors.
In fact, it goes beyond that. It's time to prioritize workers with talent and soft skills. If hotels can enable their staff to shine for their communicative skills, their online reputation will soar.
In short, technology, at least as we know it today, cannot provide that human touch that makes a difference. Certainly, your employees can. Embrace technology and allow your staff to deliver unforgettable experiences. The receptionist work won't necessarily be boring anymore.
“Digitization will allow us to streamline repetitive tasks. It's going to reinvent the concept of reception as well”, says Hotel Gran Bilbao’s Jorge Álvarez, chosen among the top 150 influential people in Spanish tourism.
2. Sustainability is vital. Guests consider it before booking
Sustainability and eco-friendly policies have been discussed for many years. However, let's face it, customers usually made their purchasing decisions without taking this variable into consideration. However, for various reasons, that's not the case anymore. In today's economy, an organization that is not committed to the environment is going to sell less. Even surviving will be tough.Our society is increasingly aware of the need to protect the planet. Hotels are no exception. There is widespread consensus among hoteliers. According to Booking.com’s sustainable report 2021, “83% of global travelers think sustainable travel is vital, with 61% saying the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future”.
You will be more successful and accepted within your clientele if you demonstrate that you save paper, avoid plastic, and use renewable energies. Are you refurbishing your hotel? Consider using sustainable materials for your hotel's design.
Try to provide an app that provides maps of the place or your resort. Do you have the option of installing a mobile key that does not require plastic? Take the initiative, surprise your guests, and show them that you strive to offer the best services and the best experience while respecting the environment.
Digitization will allow us to streamline repetitive tasks. It's going to reinvent the concept of reception as well
3. Smartphones are crucial in 2022’s hotels
In 2022, there are expected to be 6.5 billion mobile devices in use, so taking advantage of the communication opportunities they offer and integrating them into a hotel's value proposition can be extremely beneficial for both customers and the hotel.
There is a need for the guest to be able to do more with their phone. For instance, using it as a key. Or even order a hamburger and customize it however they like it.
Communication with the staff in real time is crucial, as is checking the social networks before staying at the hotel to see what all the hotel has to offer. You should also provide the client with maps of the area. Provide them with advice through their devices, etc.
Let's come up with an idea. Probably your guests use mobile phones in their day-to-day lives, for work, to communicate with family and friends, and to buy concert tickets and watch TV. Why would it be any different in your hotel?
4. Local hotels will provide a better experience
The trend among guests is to focus on the local. A majority (81%) of customers would like to receive local experience and hotel upgrade recommendations from their hotels, according to hospitalitynet. Whether they are traveling for work or leisure, it doesn't matter. Almost everyone wants to experience the local culture and gastronomy.
Get a feel for the place where the hotel is located. Every detail counts, from the meeting rooms to the decoration of the hotels. You should never assume that a standard decoration or lack of customization will not have consequences.
Don't undervalue the power of localization. It's natural for even the busiest customer to want to discover what's around them. The more you are able to transmit it throughout the guests’ stay, the better your reputation will become.
Hotel industry trends over the past few years include these four factors. But, as mentioned previously, it is a changing environment. A trending topic in the coming months will be virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality. To be continued…
“Selecting an accommodation that has a local touch is becoming increasin- gly important. A great hotel needs to reflect the culture and gastronomy of the place where it is situated”, says Sandra Pérez Carracedo, NH Hotel’s Experience Design and innovation director.
STAY's whitepaper, a roadmap to the forefront of the hotel industry
We have released a whitepaper on technology trends within the sector. To remain at the forefront, we listen actively to the industry in general, and our clients in particular. Our mission is to react in time and offer the necessary products and services to lead the innovations in the industry.
To accomplish our mission, we consider our whitepaper a cornerstone. Periodically, we will ask two questions about sector trends. The experts from around the world will have a chance to share their views with us.
In this first chapter, hotel managers, journalists, and industry influencers tell us how The guest experience has changed in the last two years and where it is headed.
It's interesting to see how hotels are being optimized with technology, but the key to providing the best experiences lies with the human factor. Sustainability will play a major role in the future, which is why the most recognized brands are eliminating plastic and paper from their routines.
As technology takes over repetitive tasks and people serve as ambassadors, major changes are coming to the industry. The overall guest experience will be improved, as well as the reception concept will be rethought.
Download our whitepaper to learn in detail about the opinions and practices of industry leaders. This will provide you with a clear picture of what the sector is currently working on.
