Maintaining the guest experience uniform is the vital element of any hotel. It starts right from the moment a guest lands at the airport and receives a warm welcome from the chauffeur and continues till the time the guest is dropped back. Every key detail is noted if the guest is an avid traveller. A great guest experience has always been a synonym for guest loyalty.

Many factors define in raising the guest escapade, as the technology is advancing and people are travelling more, the trends are changing quickly. As hoteliers, it is imperative to cope up and adapt to these emerging trends to evaluate guest experience and satisfaction. 2019 is going to be no different.

1. Smart Rooms

Technology is a game changer in today’s era. Most guests are tech savvy now and want to stay in a tech-friendly atmosphere.  In the coming year, a hotel can think of equipping the room which gadgets and toys such as tablets/voice assistants / motorized curtains / automatic lighting and more. These types of equipment are readily available in the market and at cost-effective prices.

2. Inbound Travelers

Globalization has played a crucial role in uniting many nationalities. People are travelling and will travel more to different nations. Since the competition among the airlines has risen, many airline services are offering the best of the best flight fares and are making easier for the travellers to travel anywhere at cost effective prices. Guest can go to different countries, meet new people and experience local culture and cuisine. 2019 is going to be another benchmark year for international trips.

3. Personalized Solutions

It is and has always been very important to keep track of your guests. There is nothing better than getting a personalized service or a product at your favourite hotel. Hotels are moving more towards loyalty to attract customers.

4. Sustainability

Sustainability is the latest trends in all aspects, and hospitality is no different. There are people who are taking various initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. There will be a rise in travellers those who will seek hotels who follow the same path. Hotels, to gear up, should be thinking of ways to be as carbon neutral as possible.

5. Influencers

Influencer marketing is the latest way to deliver your message to the right market. These marketers will influence more people to travel by highlighting different experiences a guest can have by visiting different places.

6. Weekend Getaways

The days of planning a vacation are almost over. People are becoming quick decision maker, and they prefer to travel instantly. There will be a rise in long weekend and weekend stays. We can look at a positive growth in this category. To attract such travellers, hotels should think of creating more long weekend promotional packages.

7. Artificial Intelligence

AI is the critical element of big data; if done correctly it can strengthen any hotel’s performance. Like every year, hotels would be pushing the impact of machine learning abilities to the farthest corner of their business. By arming themselves with tools like revenue management & chatbots, hotels will increase the guest satisfaction index and their revenue.

8. Government Initiatives

Tourism is a very substantial and vibrant aspect in defining a country’s prominence in the global market. The government will be coming up with more initiatives to boost the circulation of local travellers and also to attracting foreign nationals. For instance, there will be a rise in e-visas.

9. Eco-Tourism

Eco-tourism will scale up as people are travelling more to niche places. It is all about escaping from the concrete jungle we all are living in. It is a way to reunite with nature and experience the beauty.

10. Millennials Mindset

Travel and tourism are getting disrupted by millennial mindset. The generation is more connected and likes to break the traditional barriers. They are driving the concept of share economy as they seek authentic experiences. They spend money in a curated way, trying to discover the actual character. The idea of homestays and Bed and Breakfasts will rise.

Source: Entrepreneur India