Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including hotel trends. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.
Travelers expect more from hotels these days. For a roundup of 2020 hotel trends, head over to the Telegraph. Look for urban spas to be big, as hotels in big cities try to counteract the buzz with a little peace of mind. The rise of Airbnb continues, with hostels and affordable hotels transforming themselves into must-visit destinations with unique amenities and eye-catching design. And speaking of design, hotels are going to look more and more like museums in 2020, with properties adding incredible art to their walls. Check out the full roundup here.
Of course, if you’re looking for cutting edge inspiration in the hospitality sphere, there’s one city you want to pay attention to: Tokyo. Wall Street Journal has an insider’s look at Tokyo’s coolest new hotels. Of particular note is the Trunk Hotel, where “a hotel florist who sets up a pop-up in the courtyard on Mondays selling bouquets made of flowers left over from the hotel’s weekend events. At night, the reception area turns into a DJ booth (by extension, a loud party).”
Loud parties might not be everyone’s idea of travel fun, however. Have no fear – wellness travel activities are growing with leaps and bounds, according to Travel Pulse. “The 2020 Virtuoso Wellness Community survey shows that reducing stress and anxiety is the top motivation for wellness travel, followed by rest and relaxation; body, mind and spirit transformation; getting away from it all and spiritual renewal.” Now, travelers are looking for hotels with wellness amenities. “Spiritual retreats and mental wellness are also growing in popularity, in addition to traveling with a purpose and developing skill in a wellness activity that can continue to serve them long after they've returned home.”
One thing’s for sure in 2020. Travel brands are going to have to target everybody in their marketing efforts. That means, Generation Z and X. That means millennials. That means baby boomers. But there’s a common thread, says Skift. “One thing that travelers across generations and locales do share, according to research from Expedia Group Media Solutions, is the fact that activities and experiences drive their travel decisions. The research found that travelers of all ages ranked activities and once-in-a-lifetime or cultural experiences significantly higher than value or getting a good deal.