5 Ways Hotels Can Navigate the New Traveler Landscape
Nobody needs to tell you that the pandemic caused seismic shifts in the travel landscape. In the beginning, this meant a significant downward trend in travel along with hotel revenues.
But times are changing.
Desire for travel is on the rise. And in an interesting shift, the hospitality industry is seeing a dramatic increase in remote and hybrid workers. Studies show more and more companies recognize their employees are as or more productive when working remotely. As a result, people are enjoying the freedom to work from anywhere. A recent Crowne Plaza white paper notes that 80 percent of travelers plan to tack leisure days onto business trips.
A new breed of nomadic worker is transforming the travel landscape. To help give you a running start for 2023, here are five ways to capture and optimize this lucrative, growing revenue stream.
Customize promotions for digital nomads
Today’s digital nomads are free from standard nine-to-five office hours. Plus, they’re no longer pressed to be back at their office desk by Monday mornings after a vacation. This new flexibility means that people are booking longer trips more often. Data from Guesty shows that 14-plus-day bookings grew 33 percent in 2021, and Deloitte research says “laptop luggers” book twice as many trips as traditional leisure travelers.
Hotels can send push notifications and promotions via a hotel app, capitalizing on this new flexibility and enticing guests to extend their stays – boosting revenue. For example, you can offer special discounts on F&B, supervised kids activities and other amenities for digital nomads who add additional days to their stay or book multi-night visits.
Provide Remote Check-in and Mobile Key
Digital nomads want to make the most of their time in a destination. Upon arrival, they want to get to their room and finish their work quickly, so they still have plenty of time to play.
One way that hotels can attract remote workers and help accommodate this need is by employing an app that offers remote check-in and mobile key. Guests arrive and enjoy the convenience of skipping any front desk hassle. Instead they can head straight to their room, use their own mobile device to open the door and get right to work.
Offer Mobile F&B
One of the benefits digital nomads enjoy when working from your hotel is the ability to work from anywhere on your property. Perhaps they want to lounge poolside to soak up some sunshine while they work. Or maybe they prefer the community of working in the hotel lobby.
With the right app, you can enhance this experience by ensuring your guests don’t have to leave their comfortable spot to order food or drinks. And they don’t have to waste time trying to get nutrition or ingredient information over the phone. With a few taps on their personal device, they can access digital menus that provide them with all the detail they need. They can customize a mobile order for whatever they wish and have it delivered to them wherever they are.
Deliver Instant Access to Amenities
Another benefit your “bleisure” guests expect is instant access to hotel amenities. A hotel app can provide ride-share and shuttle options, making it easy for guests to travel to and from business offices or other nearby locations. And when they’re looking to take a work break, you can ensure those breaks are memorable. The right app boosts guest satisfaction and loyalty by making it easy for them to schedule a midday round of golf, join a pre-lunch yoga session, or book an after-work massage at the spa.
Implement a Digital Concierge
In addition to enjoying hotel amenities, a primary reason digital nomads choose to work from your hotel is because they want to spend their leisure time enjoying your destination. In-app concierge functionality enriches this ability. Your guests can easily see and customize lists of area restaurants, activities, and local hotspots based on their preferences. They may also be able to see the best times or days to do things such as visit a museum or take a local cooking class. This allows guests to flex their work hours, ensuring they make the best possible use of their time.
Get Ready for 2023
Remote workers and digital nomads are transforming the traveler landscape. With the right hotel app in place, you’ll satisfy the needs of the new breed of traveler. And you’ll help place your business growth on an upward trajectory for 2023 and beyond.
Would you like help tackling the new traveler landscape in 2023?
Sources:
[1] “State of Remote Work 2021.” Owllabs.Com, https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2021.
[2] “Pressure Is on Employers to Adopt Flexible Working Conditions and Blended Travel to Attract and Retain Talent.” InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases/2022/pressure-is-on-employers-to-adopt-flexible-working-conditions.
[3] “Guesty Industry Report.” Guesty, 25 Feb. 2021, https://www.guesty.com/short-term-rental-ecosystem-industry-report/. [4]“2022 Travel Industry Outlook.” Deloitte United States, 10 Jan. 2017, https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/travel-hospitality-industry-outlook.html.