Hospitality trends that we expect will evolve in 2020

730 565 Hamish Kilburn
  • 1
Hospitality trends that we expect will evolve in 2020

To see continued success, hoteliers and designers need to be prepared for inevitable changes. We’ve asked STAAH to round up the trends in hospitality to help our readers stay ahead of the curve…

This month, technology trends have been in the spotlight. And while there is a need for new innovation, at the same time consumers also demand for more meaningful decisions in the design and running of hotels.

In order to ensure that the industry’s evolution is progressive and not destructive, here are some of the main shifts and movements expected to affect the hospitality market in 2020.

Millennials are driving change

Starting with sustainable travel. Hotels of the future must go green if they want to attract the millennials – now the largest set of travellers. On cue, second city travel is also on the rise – a trend where travellers seek to visit lesser known cities to avoid over-tourism. Make 2020 the year where sustainable practices are adopted and marketed to keep your business relevant.

Another related trend driven by the millennials is culturally inclusive travel, the need to soak in the life of the local community you visit. Become the local expert and find ways to intertwine local stories into your property’s experience.

Technology driving decision making

The rise of millennials has also well and truly ushered in the era of online media being the key influencer in travel decision-making. Modern travellers turn to online channels to surprise and help them make travel decisions – from where to go to best accommodation options and best local experiences.

A rising expectation of a frictionless experience with smarter hotels and personalised service.

Thanks for technology, guests want more without doing much – they expect you to know. It is left up to hoteliers to join data points (say hello to artificial intelligence), understand their guests and deliver an experience that leaves them breathless – enough to leave you a stellar online review that will inspire the next booking.

Some implementations of this are smart keys, cloud-based check-in, facial recognition, smart electrical controls in the room … and this is just the start. As the digital world is going ga-ga over personalisation, hotel guests are not left behind in expecting a highly customised experience from their accommodation providers.

On the topic of transformative technology, it is hard to leave out the role virtual reality is playing in the travel industry. From pre-arrival to entertainment during stay, virtual reality is becoming a very real thing for forward-looking hoteliers.

Hoteliers aim to drive up direct bookings

While online travel agents and meta agents hold the lion’s share of travel bookings, the importance of direct bookingsis not lost to hoteliers. In 2020 they continue to optimise this channel through wins on their website and a booking engine that works smarter, supported by integrated social and email marketing to deliver the message.

Hoteliers adopt homestay concept … and evolve it

Airbnb and other homestay platforms are here to stay. Instead of fighting the trend, hoteliers are now evolving with it. So, while Airbnb expands into hotels, hotels are expected to continue extending into home-sharing. For guests, it’s a win-win as they get a homestay experience in a very regulated environment rather than a hit or miss type of scenario.

Main image credit: Pixabay

Hamish Kilburn / 31.01.2020

Share

  • 1

You might also like

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.