The Rise of Experience-Based Travel and How Hotels Can Prepare

Traditionally, lodging properties spent much time and money implementing new amenities like fancy equipment or special devices to attract travelers. Many of these amenities were fads and ended up cluttering rooms or lying forgotten in storage. Since the pandemic, traveler priorities have shifted from one-off amenities to experience-driven travel.

What Does This Mean for Lodging Operators?

With this shift, hoteliers must abandon an amenity mentality and focus on different ways to deliver meaningful experiences that fit travelers’ needs and expectations.

The first step in this process is understanding your unique demographics and what they value. Next, you must develop a strategy to implement relevant touchpoints throughout the guest journey.

Seven Ways Hotels Can Prepare for Experience-Based Travel

The 2023 State of Independent Lodging Report found that experience-driven travel will only gain momentum as traveler interests become more diverse. Therefore, lodging operators must prioritize the guest experience and utilize data and technology to understand guest expectations and behavior.

Here are a few ideas to prepare for this change.

1. Prioritize personalization

Personalization is becoming increasingly common in the hospitality industry thanks to the help of technology. Hotels must deliver personalized guest experiences by collecting information via guest engagement tools and using this information from pre-arrival to post-stay to connect with guests.

Ask guests about special occasions, in-room preferences, and preferred communication channels. Store this information in your PMS, and use it to surprise and delight guests. For example, ask about sustainability preferences and the frequency they’d like their room to be serviced; with the shift to experience-based travel, 90% of travelers are now looking for more sustainable options.

2. Partner with local service providers

When deciding on accommodation, many travelers look for more than what’s offered on-property. In a Tripadvisor survey, 33% of travelers said activities are the most memorable trip component. As part of their experience, they want to be immersed in the local culture.

To satisfy this need, lodging operators should partner with local vendors to provide excursions as part of a package deal. Not only does this reduce stress for travelers in the planning process, but it can help you to earn more revenue (while also helping out the local community).

3. Offer unique inventory types

A positive guest experience depends on several factors, including the right room. Many travelers need more than a standard room and look for lodging operators that offer unique room types. Properties that are flexible in their offerings can earn more revenue and satisfy guest expectations. Using tools like split inventory, consider combining physical rooms sold as a single unit. This combination is especially beneficial to accommodate families needing more space or digital nomads wanting a separate office.

4. Nurture guest relationships post-stay

The guest experience doesn’t end once a guest leaves your property. Continue to nurture relationships with past guests via post-stay communications and loyalty initiatives. Send a thank you after check-out to showcase your appreciation and follow up regularly with limited-time offers and discounts to keep guests returning. Inform them of any new vendors you’ve partnered with or new experiences you’re offering.

5. Invest in training

No matter how often you reiterate your dedication to guest experience across marketing channels, you won’t be able to deliver without your staff on board. Enforce your mission and vision by hosting regular training sessions to educate your staff. Make sure you also ask for input from your team. Often, unique ideas can come from those who go above and beyond to provide an outstanding guest experience.

Implement standard operating procedures so that housekeeping and maintenance standards are maintained and give all employees the tools they need to conduct proper service recovery if (and when) issues arise.

6. Enhance your hotel website

Before booking, today’s travelers want to find an accommodation provider that fits their values and provides a unique experience. It’s impossible to clearly communicate what you offer travelers without a visually appealing, eCommerce-optimized website. Use your website to communicate what you offer, incorporating high-quality images, videos, and language to tell your story. Don’t forget to include a frequently asked questions page to help streamline the booking process.

7. Build trust through effective communication

Effective communication is critical in building trust. From LiveChat to Messenger and SMS, provide travelers and guests with different communication channels and options to reach your team. Through these channels, travelers can get answers to questions quickly to help with their decision process, and hoteliers can implement an upsell strategy to drive incremental revenue and guest satisfaction through tailored experiences and services.

Using technology to support the guest experience

With persistent labor shortages, it can be a lot to ask of hotels to deliver unique, personalized guest experiences. However, travelers demand it, and to stay competitive, lodging operators must leverage technology to do more with less. Using a robust hospitality platform with guest experience capabilities, hoteliers can collect information, personalize interactions, and free up their staff to engage with guests and deliver remarkable experiences.

Free Report: The State of Independent Lodging Report 2023