A lot has changed over the years in the hospitality industry, but probably never as fast as it did in 2020. The pandemic brought far too much hardship for many of our customers, but it’s also allowed for unprecedented innovation and adaptation for a changing world.
The shift in common protocols isn’t going anywhere, as many of the 2021 hospitality trends become standardized. Here are a few of the growing trends:
EXTENDED STAYS
In an effort to reduce exposure when traveling these days, guests are often looking to stay in one place for a longer period of time rather than hopping all over. Some are looking for more Airbnb type of stays, but often they’re looking for a longer-term hotel room with increased amenities.
WORK FRIENDLY ROOM
The people who are looking for extended stays are often the same ones who need a work-friendly room. This means making sure your WI-FI is extremely fast and reliable, as well as a comfortable and practical work station in the room since people aren’t gathering in business centers anymore.
AUTOMATIONS
With an increased desire for fewer touchpoints, patrons are looking for automated procedures such as online check-in & check-out, mobile keys accessed with your smartphone, as well as a host of other features our devices can perform.
FLEXIBLE CANCELLATION POLICIES
As the world became more unpredictable, guests began looking for much more flexible cancellation policies. This is tough on some in the industry, but an understandable shift when so much is left uncertain.
OUTDOOR AREAS
Properties are recognizing a need for more outdoor areas, whether it’s for food, exercise, or just fresh air. Outdoor spaces are an important thing to consider as properties make changes in the future.
CONTACTLESS FOOD & BEVERAGE
Door side drop-off is becoming more and more common in all areas of the service industry, including hospitality. QR codes for menus & the ability to order easily from your smartphone are becoming more and more standardized as well. After the click of a few buttons, the food or beverage service is then dropped right at the door.
STAYCATIONS
Some travelers are choosing to stay nearby, which is increasing the number of staycations. Appealing to your local market can be a very enticing and simple approach for some hospitality marketing departments. Properties that are in or near typical tourist destinations are especially benefiting from this trend.
In our current everchanging world, there are many other hospitality trends going on as well. It will be interesting to the see the long-term effects all of this will have on the industry.
