5 Key Takeaways From The 2018 Skift Megatrends Report

The annual Skift Megatrends package is a must-read for anyone in the travel industry, offering keen insight into what’s ahead. The entire document is worth digging into – but we know you’re busy. Here are five key takeaways …

Experience Counts

Some might think it goes without saying – but above all else travelers are in search of experiences. And in order to deliver those experiences, travel brands are evolving from traditional formats (an airline, a cruise company, a hotel, etc.). Deanna Ting writes: “This erosion of traditional silos in travel is transforming travel brands into true experience platforms, or channels through which we, the travelers, can have our vacation and business trip experiences shaped and guided not by a multitude of companies, but by just a handful — and soon, maybe only one.”

Diversity & Inclusion Are Essential

For travel brands, politics are no longer something to be avoided – they should be embraced. The hot-button topics of today’s polarized landscape make it impossible for anyone to stand on the sidelines. “If travel brands are to keep up with the diverse world we live in, they must move past hitting diversity quotas to actual inclusion, listening to these new voices and fully incorporating them into decision-making processes,” writes Sarah Enelow.

Hotels Need To Adapt & Expand

Increasingly, hotels aren’t simply a place to lay your head. They’re growing into multi-use spaces, inviting in local vendors and artists, bringing a sense of community within their walls. [Hotels] have the ability … to be the gathering place for locals and guests alike,” writes Deanna Ting. “And more often than not, hotels are delivering that sense of community through mixed-use projects, or spaces that enhance the way we live our daily lives.”

The Definition Of Luxury Is Shifting

21 ^st century luxury isn’t just about the clichés. It’s getting increasingly personal, with upscale travelers looking for bespoke experiences, customized amenities and self-improvement offerings. [T]he ultimate luxury lies in the transformational value of the experience and how it helps travelers become the person they aspire to be,” writes Meghan Carty. “In other words, the new luxury is personal fulfillment.”

Extreme Weather Is The New Normal

Climate change is radically changing the way we travel, with wild storms and warmer temperatures effecting destinations in generally negative ways. Destinations and hotels impacted by extreme weather need to start planning ahead – and start making a difference. Dan Peltier writes: “Expect more travel brands to enter the climate change fray in 2018 and make a greater point to let their customers know that they want to be on the right side of history — and the planet.”