Following the unpredictable nature of last year, hospitality businesses have understandably struggled to forecast and plan for the potential trends or behaviours that could develop throughout the next 12 months.
Although insight is constantly being developed and we cannot predict exactly what is in store for the industry throughout 2021, we have highlighted three key trends that we believe hotels can make the most of throughout their marketing this year.
Longer stays
Due to continued effects COVID-19 has had on Brits’ confidence and ability to travel, the popularity of staycations isn’t going anywhere, and guests will look to increase the duration of their breaks for their 2021 holidays. Research from Guesty shows that bookings made in the beginning of Q1 2021 for the rest of the year are significantly longer in the UK, with an average length of 9.1 days compared to Q1 2020’s 4.5.
Although this may change following the completion of the vaccine roll-out, hotels can make the most of guests treating their staycation as an extended break, rather than a quick getaway, through the development of longer stay packages. Communicate these on your website, social media and third-party listings in tandem with messaging promoting the wide range of activities available at the property and within the local area to make their long stay worthwhile.
Impact awakening
Sustainability has been labelled a ‘trend’ for many years, with many businesses seeing it as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a vital element of their brand and ethos. Fast forward ten years and the increased consumer awareness of the effects of climate change, businesses are embedding sustainability practices at the core of their operations.
With 53% of global travellers wanting to travel more sustainably in the future, guests are becoming more eco-conscious and aware of the impact they are having on the environment, and specifically, the destination they are travelling to. Hotels must be clear on their sustainability initiatives and how guests can support them in operating as eco-friendly as possible. Including information of the hotels’ green practices, ideas of how they can support the local area and ways they can reduce their carbon footprint should be shared in pre-stay communication and during their stay to engage eco-conscious guests.
Wellness is wealth
One of the biggest learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic and enforced lockdowns is that our personal health and wellbeing should be our biggest priority. Many travellers will now be looking for hotels and holidays that can provide them with experiences that focus on their physical and mental health, whether these are from the property itself or within the local area.
We encourage hotels to curate a list of wellness offerings, whether it’s spa facilities and treatments or walks and meditation, that can be promoted through their social media channels, website and on-site literature.
As specialists in hospitality marketing and PR, we develop and deliver integrated strategies to support travel, leisure and MICE businesses in reaching their business objectives. To find out more about how we can implement these trends into your marketing activity, please contact a member of our team.
