As the hotel industry gears up for returning to a new normal and more robust 2023, there are three things on every hotelier’s mind. What trends will take off in the upcoming year? How can we appeal to a new generation of guests? And what challenges do we need to prepare for?
No matter how the industry changes, one thing remains certain: hoteliers are always looking for new and innovative ways to improve their guests’ experiences and solve problems to best serve their guests. Whether it’s through cutting-edge technology, attracting and keeping employees, experiences offered at the hotel and within the community, hoteliers are constantly seeking new ways to stay ahead of the curve.
Top of mind for 2023 at hotels today:
1. Supply Chain Issues and Pricing: There’s no doubt that hotels are under pressure these days to source products at a fair price, and ensure they arrive on time to serve their guests, especially as business travel begins to rise and group meetings and conferences come back. Hotels are constantly faced with new and unexpected supply chain issues. From broken air conditioners to food shortages, hotel suppliers must be prepared for anything. For new suppliers selling to hotels, it’s wise to ensure a bonus using your product is no supply chain problems or big delays. Check out these 7 secrets to managing supply chain from Avendra, a leading hotel group purchasing company, published in Hotel Management.
2. Labor Shortages: According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) each hotel has an average of 10.3 openings per property. That is astounding! Hotels around the country are struggling to find enough workers for their front desk, housekeeping, kitchen staff – throughout the front and back of house. While other industries might be able to offer higher salaries or more benefits to attract workers, hotels are finding it difficult to compete. When deciding on new products and services, if anything is labor-intensive, that is considered seriously problematic. Hotels are focused on finding top associates, retaining them for the long term, employee life-balance, benefits that are only available in hotels, mental health and morale.
3. Guest Experiences. Over 60% of hotel guests today are Gen Y or Gen Z, who want hotel experiences they cannot get at home, or they want hotels to offer a home-like environment. Hotels are always looking for new and innovative ways to attract and keep guests and increase their guest satisfaction scores and google ratings. To stay competitive, many hotels are now offering unique experiences that go beyond just a place to sleep. From culinary classes to wine tastings, hotels are hoping that these added extras will help them win over guests and keep them coming back. “Bleisure” is a new term found in the industry, as more and more guests can work from anywhere in the world. Business/Leisure experiences and conveniences are very attractive to guests today. Pets are welcomed and more hotels than ever before, because who wants to leave their dog at home when they have options to bring them to their hotel of choice?
Hotels today are facing challenges, but the nature of being in the hospitality business is to be a hospitable problem solver. From supply chain issues to labor shortages to finding ways to be creative and offer guest experiences that will keep them coming back, there are solutions out there that can help alleviate some of the pressure and fresh ideas are available. By taking a close look at your existing relationships with suppliers, being open to new products and services, diversifying your offerings, staying ahead of industry trends, and focusing on creating a positive work environment for employees, hotels can be set up for success despite challenges. Take a look at iDEAL Hospitality Partners Group’s article, published in Hospitality Technology – The Hotel Industry’s New Normal is Having No Normal. The days of 2019 and before are over, and hotels have spent almost three years creating, innovating, and blowing up the box of “normal” for their guests.