How hotels are changing in 2019

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including wellness trends. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

Hotel Content

Marriott is one of the world’s best and biggest hotel brands. But it’s starting to look more and more like a media company. AdWeek reports: “The 92-year-old hotel chain is placing a big bet on what content—from advertising and marketing to feature stories and documentaries across digital and video—can do for its business.” Now, Marriott is offering everything from in-depth insider guides to destinations to detailed mixologist profiles. This storytelling-as-service strategy is a value-add for guests and encourages brand loyalty.

Loyalty Counts

And speaking of brand loyalty … According to Hotel Management, luxury hotels are ratcheting up their loyalty programs, offering all kinds of rewards for guests who sign up. The key ingredient is flexibility. “Flexibility is an essential component for a modern rewards program,” writes Patrick Russomanno. “Customers want to use rewards when it suits them and brands need dynamic platforms to attract new members and engage existing members.”

Interior Designing

Hotels need to attract guests with more “in-real-life” experiences as well. And that means staying up to speed on design trends. Hospitality Net says that the two biggest trends to capitalize on are minimalism and sustainability. “Today's travelers are more eco-conscious than ever, with the sustainable tourism market expected to boom in the coming years,” writes Kacey Bradley. “One new trend to attract new guests is to incorporate reclaimed and repurposed materials into design.” Check out seven other hotel design trends.

Experience Economics

Today’s travelers aren’t just looking for a place to stay when they book a hotel. They want access to entire experiences. Personalization is essential. “In order to design and create such experiences, hotels and other hospitality participants will have to embrace and implement new and innovative technology platforms that will allow them to manage and create end-to-end experiences for guests,” writes Pranjal Prashar, Co-Founder & CEO, Xperium. “More so, these experiences will need to be comprehensive and tailored to the specific travel intent of each guest.” Find out how to ride the wave of the experience economy.

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