The hotel industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and marketers have the task to figure out travelers changing behaviors. Daniel Levine, director of the Avant-Guide Institute, spoke of five phenomena he’s following at the 2022 HSMAI Marketing Strategy Summit.

A Holistic Mindset:

Society is redefining work-life balance and what it means to them personally. It is opening many travel opportunities. Hotels can be viewing the change as a huge opportunity because more people can work from anywhere than ever before. “That’s opening people’s minds to say, ‘Wow, it is not just work from home. I can work from resorts. I can work from the Caribbean,’” he said.

Swift Assistance:

Consumers always want access to information. Consumers are seeing more self-serve convenience across all industries. Some hotels have started with having self-serve kiosks for check in. Levine noted that the hospitality industry is behind and should look for more opportunities to jump to this trend.

Braggable Luxury:

Luxury has a new definition according to many consumers. It is now being viewed as something consumers can brag about. Levine said, “Luxury could soon be defined as interacting with human beings because human beings are expensive and machines are cheap.” Luxurious and unique are slowly being used as synonyms.

Honest Communication:

Consumers are expecting brands to be honest and clear. The hospitality industry has been more conservative but has recently let employees be themselves and communicate in a more direct way. Customers are receiving clear communication which is a huge aspect of the world today.

“Phygital” Interaction:

Many companies are working towards blending the experience between physical and digital worlds. Many retailers have digital kiosks to shop or virtual try on segments. The digital experience is more popular than ever, and hotels could try hopping on this trend.

(CoStar, 06.29.22)

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