The hospitality industry is constantly evolving, and for a good reason. The modern traveler has a wider range of expectations than ever before, and hotels have no choice but to keep up with those demands.
We’ve been keeping an eye on the latest trends in travel, so we can bring them straight to you. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most important trends in the hotel industry right now, plus a few exciting innovations that will change everything about how you think about your next trip.
The Integration of Voice-Controlled Devices and Smart Home Technologies
Voice-controlled devices and smart home technologies are two of the most exciting new developments in the hospitality industry. Voice-controlled devices, such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Siri, allow guests to control their room’s lights, temperature, and other functions through voice commands.
Smart home technologies like Nest allow you to control your thermostat remotely or adjust it based on your phone’s location. For example, if the guest is away from their hotel room, they can set their room’s temperature remotely.
According to PR Newswire, the smart home and connected equipment market across the hospitality and coworking space will see shipments rise from 6.8 million devices shipped in 2023 to 19.7 million in 2027. This means a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5% for the market.
The news report states that smart-enabled capabilities, such as smart locks, smart thermostats, sensors to support maintenance demands, and voice control, all have significant growth potential.
The Use of Hotel Casting Services
If you’re a hotelier, there’s no doubt that you’d like to provide your guests with a memorable in-room entertainment experience. One way to do this is through casting technology.
Hotel casting solutions allow guests to stream content from their phones and laptops onto the TV in their room while they are staying at your hotel. It can also be used as an interactive tool to provide information about local attractions, restaurants, and events.
This type of technology adds value to the guest experience by giving them access to things they wouldn’t normally have access to while traveling.
The Integration of Wellness and Wellness-Related Services
Hotels are increasingly turning to wellness-related services to enhance the guest experience. Wellness is a growing trend in hotel entertainment, and this concept will only continue to grow as travelers become more interested in improving their health while traveling.
Wellness-related services include meditation, yoga, and other activities that promote mental clarity while reducing stress levels. These types of activities can be integrated into the guest experience through technology such as virtual reality headsets or apps designed specifically for these purposes (such as Headspace).
According to Club Industry, savvy hotels are responding to the demands of wellness-focused travelers who are looking beyond the basement gym. These guests look for wellness programming, pro-athlete-level equipment, and fitness classes. Hotel businesses that support this trend will become the go-to brands for the coming generations.
The Focus on Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness
You may have already heard that sustainability and eco-friendliness are not just buzzwords. They’re becoming a big part of how hotels operate.
Hotels are increasingly focusing on reducing their environmental footprint, which means making efforts to reduce energy consumption and waste production. They’re also investing in renewable energy sources like solar panels or wind turbines so they can go green without sacrificing comfort or convenience for their guests.
Yahoo! Finance states that the hospitality industry’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance issues is increasing. Rising energy costs and the preference of travelers toward sustainable tourism and green accommodations have been the reason behind this increase.
According to The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), outlined in the Paris Agreement, the hotel industry worldwide needs to reduce its carbon emissions by 66% per room per year by 2030 and 90% by 2050.
The Use of Data and Analytics
Data and analytics are two of the most important tools for hoteliers. Data helps you understand your guests’ preferences, while analytics allows you to make informed decisions based on the information that you collect.
The use of both data and analytics can help improve guest entertainment experiences by providing insights into how guests interact with each other, what they like or dislike about specific amenities, and more. You can also use this information to understand better how best to meet their needs during future visits.
The Rise of Alternative Accommodations
The rise of alternative accommodations, such as boutique hotels, vacation rentals, and co-living spaces, is another way that guests can experience the hotel industry in new ways. These alternatives are becoming more popular because they offer unique opportunities for travelers to experience different cultures and communities.
Boutique hotels are a great example of how this trend is changing the way we think about traveling. These smaller properties typically offer unique experiences that cater specifically to their location’s needs (and often serve local food).
This means you may see fewer amenities at a boutique property than at a larger chain hotel, but it also means you’ll get to immerse yourself in your surroundings more deeply by meeting local people who can help show off what makes each place special.
The Growing Importance of Guest Feedback and Engagement
Guest feedback is becoming increasingly important to hotels. It’s not just about improving customer satisfaction and increasing loyalty. It also helps you understand what your guests want, which can help you stay ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and technology adoption.
As a hotelier, you need to be able to collect guest feedback from all channels (social media, online reviews, etc.) as well as on-site. Then use it effectively to improve your business by making informed decisions about what changes should be made based on this information.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to transform your guest experience, we hope this article has provided some inspiration. Whether you want to improve the design of your hotel or make it more eco-friendly, there are plenty of options out there. And many of them are affordable and easy to implement.
