From AI to sustainability, from business to mindfulness, all the hospitality trends in 2022 are the result of a profound and ongoing change in our society.
It can be easy to overlook changes when you are busy running your business. However, as a business owner, you need to acknowledge this transformation and adapt your business to the changing needs and desires of guests.
In this article, you will read about the new hospitality trends in 2022. While some trends might not be interesting to you, there are high chances that you will find some inspiration to review your business and grow its profitability.
4 Most Popular Hospitality Trends in 2022
Although there are many changes going on in the hospitality industry, it is possible to identify 4 general hospitality trends in 2022.
Following is a breakdown of these trends and a few tips on how you can take advantage of them.
Bleisure Traveling. The First Hospitality Trends in 2022
The first 2022 hospitality trend worth knowing about is Bleisure Traveling.
It represents a new type of travel that has been accelerated by the Covid Pandemic and the growth of remote working.
The word bleisure is the combination of Business and Leisure.
Bleisure travelers are those who combine working and leisure activities.
They might be remote workers who simply decide to work from a destination as they are not tied to any place.
Alternatively, they can be people who travel for business but extend their staying to discover a destination.
This trend is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing availability of affordable air travel and the growth of the sharing economy.
For hoteliers, this new hospitality trend presents both challenges and opportunities.
In some cases, bleisure travelers are often bringing their families along on trips, and business owners are responding with more family-friendly amenities and activities.
In other cases, especially when it comes to digital nomads, travelers are looking for ways to extend their trips for a few extra days to enjoy the destination, with very short notice.
This has led to hotels offering more discounts and package deals for longer stays.
If you are thinking that your venue might suit bleisure travelers, remember that the most important factors are flexibility and amenities.
Therefore, to leverage this trend within your business, be sure to plan offers and policies that match the needs and desires of these new types of travelers.
Moreover, be sure to provide services that allow them to work and relax.
Rethink your spaces, check your WiFi capacity, and offer amenities or leisure activities that can be appealing to remote workers when they turn off their laptops.
Sustainability. The Second Hospitality Trend in 2022
Sustainability is not only a 2022 hospitality trend. Is more of a global trend.
As global warming and climate change are becoming a growing concern for people, all industries are reviewing their products and services to reduce their carbon footprint.
The good news is that sustainability is not only good for the environment – it’s also good for business.
Studies show that consumers are increasingly favoring companies that have a declared commitment to environmental sustainability.
Sustainably operated businesses often see increased profits as a result of reduced operating costs and higher customer satisfaction levels.
Therefore, being sustainable (and showing it) can be extremely beneficial for your business.
Hotels and restaurants have many possibilities to reduce their environmental impact and operate in a more sustainable manner.
One way is to source local, organic food. This not only reduces the carbon footprint of the business but also supports the local economy.
Another way to become more sustainable is to implement energy-efficient practices, such as using LED lighting and motion sensor lighting controls.
By doing so, businesses can significantly reduce their energy consumption and operating costs.
There are many other ways to reduce the environmental impact of your business, and is up to you to review your operations and decide what you can change to make your venue green.
However, it is important to realize that sustainability is for many people a way of viewing life. In fact, it matches perfectly with another 2022 hotel trend.
That of holistic hospitality.
Holistic Hospitality. The Third Hospitality Trend in 2022
A clearly defined hospitality trend in 2022 is that of holistic hospitality.
A growing number of people live stressful lives and are constantly in a rush. Therefore, when traveling, people are increasingly looking for a set of experiences that fulfill their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.
In other words, travelers want to slow down and find meaning in their traveling experience.
When it comes to hospitality, the term “holistic” means taking an approach that considers the whole picture, not just the individual parts.
This implies creating an experience that is not just about providing a service but about creating a complete and memorable experience for the guest.
An example of holistic hospitality is the so-called glamping. It mixes the wildness and slowness of camping with the glamorous sides of hospitality.
The great advantage of glamping is that it connects people with nature, which provides extraordinary benefits to one’s mood. Nonetheless, the hurdles of real camping are taking off, which makes the holiday extremely relaxing, pleasant, and ..trendy.
To take advantage of this new hotel trend, you can offer a variety of services that involve wellness, emotional balance, stress management, and more.
Some practical examples?
- Yoga
- Meditation classes
- Mindful walks
- Massages
- Art and crafts classes
- Boat excursions
- Unique local activities
- Breathing classes
- Psychedelic retreats
To summarize, holistic hospitality is way more than providing beautiful accommodation.
It’s considering people in their entirety and offering a multidimensional experience that satisfies their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.
Local Tourism. The Fourth Hospitality Trend in 2022
Local tourism is another relevant 2022 hospitality trend.
This trend emerged with the Covid-19 outbreak.
As people were not allowed to travel due to restrictions, the only option to enjoy the pleasure of discovery became national and regional locations.
This trend, however, is here to stay. Both for logistic and economic reasons.
The energy crisis, along with inflation and the looming specter of another virus outbreak, is pushing people to choose travel destinations within national boundaries and not far away from their homes.
Therefore, a good chunk of demand for your services can be driven by local tourists.
To cater to these types of travelers, you have to provide unique and genuine experiences. In fact, what you offer to foreigners can not be the same as what you offer to locals.
For these types of travelers, discovering the most famous areas of your town is not that relevant. However, they want to feel on holiday.
Aim to provide compelling activities and services that they can’t find easily at their home.
Additionally, you can think of seasonal pricing offers and loyalty programs that are specifically tailored to attract these types of tourists.
Latest Technology Trends in the Hospitality Industry
As predicted, technology plays a big role in shaping the 2022 hospitality trends.
From online booking and check-in to in-room entertainment and mobile ordering, hotels and restaurants have always been using technology to improve the guest experience.
As technological progress keeps advancing, some disruptive changes are starting to take place in the hospitality industry.
The latest technology trends in the hospitality industry can be split into three different groups:
Using Artificial Intelligence To Automate Tasks
In recent years, the hospitality industry has been turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help with a variety of tasks.
From chatbots for handling customer service inquiries to making restaurant recommendations, AI is becoming increasingly useful in the hospitality industry.
In addition, AI can help hoteliers to better understand their guests and provide a more personalized experience. As the hospitality industry looks to become more efficient and provide a better experience for guests, AI will likely play a big role in the future.
In fact, all the innovations aim to create a more comfortable and smooth experience for guests. From check in to check out.
Creating Immersive Experiences With Virtual and Augmented Reality (Vr/AR)
In recent years, virtual reality and augmented reality have become increasingly popular and their use has expanded to a variety of industries.
The hospitality industry is one area where virtual reality is beginning to be used in a variety of ways, from training employees to providing guests with an immersive experience. Moreover, it perfectly suits the higher end of bleisure travelers.
Virtual reality has the potential to revolutionize the hospitality industry and provide a new level of customer service.
Accepting Cryptocurrencies as Payment Method. A Clear Hospitality Trend in 2022
Cryptocurrencies’ adoption is an evident 2022 hospitality trend.
The increasing amount of financial restrictions applied to specific countries is pushing business owners to consider cryptocurrencies as means of payment.
Accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are allowing business owners to attract more customers and simplify their day-to-day operations with guests from sanctioned countries.
Moreover, cryptocurrencies have smaller fees compared to traditional financial networks, with no risks of chargebacks, which makes these innovative payment systems even more appealing.
Hospitality Design Trends 2022
The unique atmosphere of a venue has always been a relevant factor for success in the hospitality industry.
As the habits and preferences of people change, design experts keep innovating to attract and delight users.
The 2022 hospitality design trends follow the main industry trends, as they aim to reach the same result: pleasing customers.
The main design trend observed in the hospitality industry in 2022, relates to sustainability.
Designers aim to create comfortable, fashionable, sustainable spaces. Thus, plastic is disappearing from rooms and is being replaced by recycled paper and glass.
Moreover, guests are invited to choose how sustainable they want to be by indicating, for example, how often they want their towels or sheets to be changed.
However, as travelers look for more comprehensive experiences, private and common areas are being rethought.
Gardens and common areas are being increasingly dedicated to wellness treatments and other holistic experiences that encourage guests’ sociality.
Instead, rooms are being considered as a sort of Temporary Office and are being designed to better suit the needs of remote workers. Think of larger desks, comfortable chairs for hours of sitting, and USB plugs for charging devices.
Another 2022 hospitality trend that involves designers originates from social media.
A 2017 study revealed that about 40% of millennials choose a travel location based on its Instagrammability.
Thus, designers and business owners are highly incentivized to capture this trend.
Make your venue (and all its related services) instagrammable, and you will be able to attract more customers and increase your profits.
Moreover, your venue will grow in popularity thanks to the massive flow of content shared on social media by your guests.
Hospitality Trends in 2022: Learn About Your Customers With WiFi Marketing
Regardless of which 2022 hospitality trend you find more interesting, it is necessary that any change you want to implement in your business is supported by consistent data.
Data-driven decisions can provide immense benefits to business owners, as these are based on evidence and not intuition.
Since any change you want to bring within your business is supposed to make your customers happy, it is necessary that you fully understand who your customers are and what they genuinely desire.
WiFi marketing is - hands down - the most effective way to learn about your typical customers, as it targets and collects data from customers who have already chosen your business.
If you are already offering free WiFi to your guests, you can use the same free WiFi to collect data about your customers’ preferences and habits.
Data can then be used to ignite changes and improve the overall customer experience.
If you want to take advantage of WiFi Marketing for your venue, check out Beambox.
Beambox is an all-in-one solution for WiFi marketing that helps you connect with your customers and collect data to grow the profitability of your business.
Have a look at our solutions for small business owners and start your 30-day free trial.
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