As a hotelier who also travels, I LOVE to take note of hotel trends. Of course, I pay attention how hotels are meeting my needs (like phone charging stations, healthy food options, and fast, FREE internet), but these have become somewhat expected amenities. I get tickled when I go to a hotel and they are offering something, an experience or convenience, I had not thought of! It goes back to Hospitality 101-anticipate guests’ needs. And when a hotel does that for me, I love it!
Now more than ever, your online reputation matters. Travellers turn down hotels which have negative reviews instantly. A single negative review could destroy your yearly revenue in a mere matter of days. The use of an online reputation management agency has become a vital necessity in the world of leisure.
Current Business Travelers’ Needs
The needs of today’s business traveler are changing rapidly. Gone are the days of a standard “business center” with tucked away computers, printers, staplers, and printing paper. Business travelers want much more. And those hotels who can adapt to those changes are really benefiting!
I’ve always been a huge advocate of hotels looking BEYOND the hotel rooms. Of course, heads in beds is the backbone to a successful hotel. But how hotels can successfully drive traffic to their restaurant, bars, and communal spaces is a huge factor in increasing revenue streams.
Yet, it is more than the immediate gratification of revenue (although that is the goal). But the long-term community they are building is really how the hotel can establish itself with solid roots. Hotels focusing on becoming more than a destination hub, but a meeting place for locals. These locals then turn into future guests and even unofficial salespeople, connecting out-of-town visitors to their favorite local hotel. It all works together to create a well-rounded hotel business.
Walk into the lobby of an urban hotel today, and more than likely, there are a few people hunched over their laptops, a business meeting being conducted at the bar, and even someone taking a conference call in the corner. Hotels are the new place to get work done. Not only while travelers are on the road, but even to locals looking for a cool place hibernate and squeeze in work or a meeting.
If a hotel is tending to business travelers, it is crucial to provide necessary assistance to such people since they can aid the hotel’s business. That is why a hotel can provide special customer service to their guests to deal with management and facility problems that customers may face during their travel. Hotel management can look into AI technology to provide automated customer support. You can explore such resources online or check out this website.
In general, we work differently nowadays. Work is no longer confined to the cubicle or restricted to 9 to 5. Hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, and other public spaces have often found themselves serving as offices for travelers and locals alike. It’s great to see hospitality companies, especially hotels, recognizing and embracing this shift. The hospitality industry is always changing, businesses want to fit into the new trends and appeal more to those who are using their facilities/services. Because of this, there are more options for jobs that can move into this expansion with government funded courses in melbourne for those who want to get into hospitality. This is not limited to one country but can be found throughout the world as careers change and industries want to adapt.
The Rise of Bleisure Travel
With worldwide business travel spend set to reach $1.4 trillion by 2020, another trend gathering momentum is bleisure – combining business and leisure trips. In the U.S., length of stay for a business versus bleisure traveler has already increased from two nights to six-plus. 43% of business trips in the U.S. are now bleisure, whilst 70% of business travelers who add on a leisure stay travel at least every 2 to 3 months.
To be fair, extending a business trip to enjoy some leisure time at a destination has been a common practice for as long as business trips have existed. But it has been embraced enthusiastically by Millennials. With more Millennials in the workforce, bleisure travel is on a steady rise. Combining work and leisure travel is the most effective way to visit locations that they might otherwise not be able to afford-especially for the frugal under-40 traveler. The most extreme version of bleisure travel is the “digital nomad” phenomenon, where online workers travel the globe with a laptop.
Hotel Design for Business Travel
So how does this influence Hotel Design? Based on these trends, it is proving to be a lot less “big box” and a lot more “out of the box.” Hotel design trends are focusing more on art, community, and uniqueness. Guests are craving design that echoes the destination’s character, whether with local art or the architecture itself. Travelers want to feel immersed in the destination-be it a work trip, or a business trip that extends into a leisure getaway. And in some hotels, the space itself is what drives uniqueness, with creative lobby ideas or public areas that showcase nature.
In an effort to build a sense of community (as mentioned above) in lobby areas, hotels are becoming more creative with the types of public spaces offered, from shared workspaces to kitchens to game rooms. And more than the social component is the social consciousness component. They are also making use of vinyl lettering designer stickers to add pertinent information to their front entrance or windows. More and more hotels are taking a more holistic and eco-friendly approach to their offerings. Not to mention floor-to-ceiling windows and lobbies full of plants that really connect visitors with the destination.
All in all, it is an exciting time in hotels. They are no longer just a place to sleep, but they are truly focusing on becoming overall community hubs-great for socializing, working, and of course, getting rest.
What about you? Are you a business traveler that has seen certain trends take hold? What are you favorite hotels for bleisure trips and why? Share you thoughts with us!
This post is sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance. Although I use them as my travel insurance provider, this post is reflective of my thoughts and opinions. Check them out when you are booking your next trip, it will likely be the best policy for your trip! #TravelHappy.