An entire sector within the hospitality industry is devoted to understanding and predicting consumer behavior. Armed with this knowledge, hotels and other businesses can make informed decisions that attract their target market.
While some things stay consistent over time, others change with the trends. vistara pnr check The end of the pandemic brought about a spike in corporate travel as businesses adapted their policies to meet new standards.
This massive shift in work and bleisure trips substantially affects those in hospitality. As we roll out of 2022, here are four of the major business travel trends to keep in mind to drive your future business decisions.
1. Demand for Meeting Spaces Is Up
Until now, many businesses were sending out tentative feelers to test the post-COVID waters. Would clients and staff feel safe attending corporate retreats and large gatherings? Would hybrid or virtual events be better for everyone?
Now, as restrictions loosen or disappear altogether, it’s back to “business as usual” in most companies. Leadership retreats, conferences, and other group get-togethers are on the agenda, with a great demand for meeting spaces.
Hotels must offer high-tech audio and visual accommodations and hygienic practices along with an opening vast enough to handle the occupants. Facilities that provide a dedicated team that puts together the framework of the gathering are in higher demand than those that expect the host to handle the logistics.
Although the cost of becoming a business-centric hotel is a hefty investment, the industry is worth nearly $700 billion. If you can attract your share of the corporate traveler with well-designed meeting spaces and business amenities, your investment will more than pay for itself.
2. Guests Want to See Sustainable Practices
Before COVID, the trend in hotels was luxurious living at affordable prices. Guests wanted high-class amenities without the premier price tag.
The pandemic shifted this preference. Now, consumers want to see that hotels are using sustainable practices and reducing their carbon footprint.
Many brands are making their moves evident through changes like QR code menus, fully-online check-in and check-out processes, and keyless room entry. It’s not uncommon to see signs in a hotel room encouraging guests to reuse their towels to save soap and water. Instead of individual toiletries, some lodging facilities use bulk shampoo, conditioner, and soap dispensers.
These energy-efficient practices save hotels money and satisfy the guests’ desire to help the environment. They can live a temporary life of rest and relaxation without feeling guilty.
3. Bleisure Travel is the Goal
Travel trends are highly focused on wellness, with a work/life balance the ultimate goal. Hotels that offer bleisure opportunities are sought out by professionals worldwide.
To obtain this designation, your hotel has to provide various options for your guests to enjoy outside of work. Corporate conference rooms and business amenities aside, everyone wants to relax after a long day of work. What can they do without leaving your hotel or, at the very most, having to walk too far?
On-site restaurants, spas, pools, fitness centers, and shops are on the rise. Hotels with these amenities attract corporate guests who want to get their work done without worrying about finding food or filling their basic needs.
The more needs your hotel fills for your guests, the better your reputation as a bleisure lodging facility becomes.
4. Nomadic Work Means More Extended Stay Opportunities
Speaking of bleisure travel, the return to work post-COVID looks a lot different than it did in 2020. Remote and nomadic workers make up a significant portion of the workforce, and hotels that accommodate this market can enjoy a hefty profit.
Nomadic workers travel for their job and stay for long periods. Sometimes, the work takes them away from home for a week, but they can be gone for months in many cases. Hotels used to turn away anyone trying to stay longer than a week or two, but now, long-term lodging is a competitive industry.
Employers must provide safe and comfortable housing, per the government’s housing laws. If your hotel meets these laws and is willing to negotiate a contract with businesses, you could benefit by receiving all of its corporate travelers.
Knowing that the room is booked for an extended period lets you put your attention on filling the rest of the openings and adjusting your reputation to attract more long-term lodgers.
Conclusion
Times are changing, and with them come new hotel market trends. The shift in business perspectives has everyone striving for sustainable practices while keeping the amenities that have always worked to bring in guests.
Use these four trends to guide your next policies and renovations, and you’ll be ready for 2023 and beyond.
