2019 has no doubt brought new challenges and changes to the ever-growing hospitality industry.
In preparation for next year, we’ve found some top trends that can help your business and brand provide what your guests are looking for. Are you keeping up with these simple yet important trends?
1. Sustainability & Eco-Tourism
These days, eco-friendly practices are becoming the norm in the hospitality industry. People now expect it. Accommodation providers are now starting to consider the environmental impact on everything they use; from plastic straws to the need for lights to switch off automatically once a guest leaves their room. There are people who are taking various initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. There will be a rise in travelers who will seek hotels who follow the same path. Hotels, to gear up, should be thinking of ways to be as carbon neutral as possible.
2. Minimalism and natural design
From Shanghai to Cyprus, the minimalist look is progressively becoming second nature in accommodation world-wide. Clean lines and less clutter creates a sense of calm and beauty so immersive that your guests won’t want to ever leave. Ditch the wallpaper for painted walls instead, and don’t forget to add plants!
It is all about escaping from the concrete jungle we all are living in. It is a way to reunite with nature and experience the beauty.
Taking that extra step for your guests will increase repeat visits and gain your hotel better reviews online.
3. Changes to food and beverage
In the past, a substantial section of the hospitality industry was made up of fast-food restaurants and bars selling sugary alcoholic drinks. However, there has been something of a cultural shift, with people becoming more aware of the things they are putting in their bodies, leading to healthy food and drinks trend.
For restaurants, this has meant re-vamping menus with healthier options, including gluten-free, dairy-free, low fat, vegetarian, vegan and organic options. However, the trend for healthy food and drinks extends to hotels, catering services and even holiday as well, with healthier room service options, as well as healthier drinks sold behind bars.
4. Smart Technology
Connectivity across platforms and devices is growing more important for guests. Booking systems are essential for every accommodation provider. They create hassle-free bookings for your guests as well as making your staff more efficient with their time.
Booking systems which kеер trасk оf еасh rеѕеrvаtіоn аnd аll of the rеlаtеd dеtаіlѕ that you need. This will give you all thе іnfоrmаtіоn tо bеttеr undеrѕtаnd уоur guеѕtѕ, thеіr рrеfеrеnсеѕ аnd whаt uрgrаdеѕ уоu ѕеll thе mоѕt. STAAH’s ConvertDirect Booking engine is a prime example of this technology. This has the WatchMyRate widget which can display live rates from five different channels, which can be seen by all of your visitors.
Chatbots, robots and other forms of artificial intelligence provide users with on-demand information and personalised recommendations. Facial recognition technology is opening doors (sometimes literally) to timesaving services, while smart hotel rooms equipped with Internet of Things connectivity allow guests to customise their experience with an app or their voice.
There is so much with the potential to change the industry in ways we have yet to imagine.
5. Personalisation for returning guests
There is nothing better than getting a personalised service or a product at your favourite hotel. Hotels are moving more towards loyalty to attract customers.
Personalisation can be deployed in a variety of ways. Within hotels, for instance, returning customers can be automatically provided with similar services to the last time they stayed, while they can also be personally greeted by a member of staff upon arrival, using GPS technology and booking data. Furthermore, with the rise of smart devices, hotel guests can also be enabled to use their own devices and accounts on entertainment platforms.
If your hotel is using any other latest trends that we might have missed, feel free to write to us at marketing@staah.com