Five big themes hoteliers should pay attention to

The hotel industry is still adapting to the seismic challenges thrown up by the pandemic, but what was a traumatic time for hospitality is now defining the trends that we expect to see as hotels adapt to stay competitive. It will be critical for hotel owners, and those working or looking for employment in the industry, to pay attention to these five big themes that will shape the industry in the coming months and years.

1) Changing workforce

Possibly the most significant development is the influx of younger people into the industry following the great exodus from hospitality. Hotels are desperate for qualified people to work for them, which means there has probably never been a better time to enter the industry and the opportunities are there whether you have the experience or not. 

Many hotel groups are experiencing such acute labour shortages, that they are offering on-the-job development and expanding their management in training programmes to include not only the traditional food and beverage or rooms division routes, but also 360-degree operations as well.

We are also seeing faster career progression than we had before due to skills gaps in key roles. With more energetic, passionate, and enthusiastic people in higher positions, it is unthinkable that this will not have a significant effect on how hotels develop and the kind of services and technologies they embrace.

2) Technology trends

Where the Covid crisis saw hoteliers use apps to help customers check in and out remotely, I fully expect that we will see the ‘smart hotel’ trend continue – but with an increased emphasis on building human interactions thrown into the mix; you just don’t get the same level of hospitality with a robot, so hotels will increasingly be looking at ways in which they can combine the efficiency of technology with the personal touch.

We have already seen innovations such as the JEEVES robot drinks caddy replacing inefficient minibars at Radisson and Leonardo Group Hotels, and we have also witnessed the use of Suite Pads that are bringing efficiency to guest communications in hotels such as Shangri-La and Jumeirah. 

As demand increases, hotel groups will be doing everything they can to improve efficiency by, for example, adopting artificial intelligence and automation. I believe this is where we will see the emphasis on further technological advances.

3) Going green

Boosting efficiency is not all about saving money; in many instances, it can contribute to a hotel’s sustainability. As the sector continues its post-pandemic recovery, the spotlight has turned on the industry’s environmental impact.

Combating climate change is one of the biggest challenges and is a top priority for the hotel industry. That is why we are seeing the entire industry adopting more environmentally-friendly approaches in almost every aspect of its operations. Whether it is demanding more sustainable goods and services from supply chains, striving to reduce waste or designing energy-efficient buildings, hotels have embraced the challenge of reducing their carbon footprints and are aggressively pursuing a greener agenda.

The truth is sustainability is no longer something hoteliers can ignore. It is increasingly a deciding factor in customers’ hotel choices and it is important to the new generation of employees who will drive the industry in the future.

4) Giving back to society

While tourism’s impact on the environment is rightly at the forefront of hoteliers’ minds, we are also increasingly seeing them consider how their operations affect the societies in which they have a presence. Mass tourism can have a devastating effect if it is not properly managed and hoteliers are becoming increasingly aware of the potential impact opening more and more hotels could have. 

As a result, I think we will see a growth in the number of socially-conscious initiatives the travel industry develops in the next year and beyond. In particular, giving back to local communities will be a recurring theme. We are already seeing more hoteliers making conscious efforts to source talent, goods, and services from the areas in which they operate, hiring from underrepresented groups when possible, and investing in their employees’ professional development.

5) Traveller preferences

One of the more interesting key trends we have already seen have an impact on revenue management is the rise in segmentation of guests.

Things have come a long way since we asked whether the purpose of guest visits was business or pleasure. Hoteliers are now separating customer groups into many more categories and tailoring their offering according to the desired customer experience. For example, we have already seen more ‘pet-friendly’ hotels open in response to consumer demand, and niche offers of that type are likely to become more widespread.

Another driver of innovation in the industry is the burgeoning ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle. Older-style business lounge facilities are being updated and adapted to become co-working spaces for hotel guests. They provide the essential communications and IT infrastructure, while also giving guests the opportunity to network.

Catering for specific guest needs has already driven some of the larger hotel chains into diversifying their offer according to the experience clients are demanding and I think this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. And I’m not just talking about individual hotels – I can see the larger multinational groups creating entire sub-brands that are geared towards catering to a specific niche as they look to compete with boutique offerings in increasingly diverse target markets.