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Hospitality trends that we expect will evolve in 2020

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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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

Industry insight: How smart tech is reshaping hotels

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
By:
0
Industry insight: How smart tech is reshaping hotels

With technology being a catalyst in the competitive arena of hospitality, hoteliers are focusing on offering guests a unique experience that attracts them toward their services. The hotel industry has changed over the years, explains STAAH…

Smart technology is changing everything from the homes we live in to how our cities are managed. The hospitality industry is no exception. In many ways, the hospitality industry is leading the charge in the adoption of smart business technology.

From operations to guest experience to marketing, smart hotel technology offers a variety of cost savings and revenue opportunities, and it is enabling hotel owners to reach new levels of profitability. Here are some ways in which smart technology is reshaping how hoteliers operate.

Self check-in

Today, the guest does not want to wait at the reception desk, and they are expecting everything digital in your hotel. However, self-check-in service by a mobile app is the best solution for customers as well as hotel management staff.

Also, with this, the guests can easily find out whether their room is ready, can make requests for amenities and many more.

Mobile room keys

A smartphone app that provides guest room access, eliminates the problem of attendees losing their key card or the environmental impact of countless plastic cards. This could help your corporate social responsibility image. It’s a win-win!

3) Reserved Parking

Smart sensors and hotel apps will allow guests to not only reserve parking spots ahead of their visits, but to also have their spot assigned at their arrival. This will give your guests an effortless experience from the minute they pull up.

4) Online Reputation Management

A hotel’s online ratings can not only help predict future bookings, but they offer owners valuable insight into how well a property delivered on guest expectations. Therefore, operators will continue to invest in platforms such as STAAH’s review minder, that help them monitor online reviews, manage their online reputation and use that feedback to improve both their operational and guest experience standards.

5) Room service

Hotels will be able to push menu notifications to guests’ smartphones when they are in their rooms using smart occupancy sensors. They can also schedule texts tailored to fit their preferred ordering times, including personalised menu suggestions based on previous orders.

Other smart technologies such as customer surveys, smart loyalty-program management and smart hotel management will play a bigger role in how hotels operate in 2020 and beyond. The key to smarter hotel operations is implementing the right technologies that meet guests’ expectations and hoteliers’ needs to get to know these travelers better.

STAAH is one of our recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email  Katy Phillips by clicking here.

Main image credit: Pixabay

Just for fun: What comedians really think about hotels

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Just for fun: What comedians really think about hotels

With consumer demands ever-evolving, we asked Recommended Supplier STAAH to investigate the truth about what comedians really think about hotels…

Buffet breakfasts, wake-up calls, tea and coffee making facilities and the five-star service, comedians from around the world go uncut and talk about what they think of staying at a hotel. Here’s what we found.

Michael McIntyre

An English comedian, writer, and television presenter, Michael McIntyre talks about Buffet breakfasts, wake-up calls, tea and coffee making facilities and the turn-down service.

Amit Tandon

Amit Tandon is a stand-up Comedian from India, who tells stories and makes observations about daily life. In this video he talks about how he gets excited about five star hotels, but never feel at home.

Erik Griffin

Erik Griffin is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor known for such television series and films. In this video Erik Griffin has a couple of complaints for the hotels he frequents.

If you have any funny experience staying at the hotel, feel free to share it with the team at STAAH. Email them at marketing@staah.com

Main image credit: Pixabay