The Future of Hotels | Insight From Our Team on Where Hospitality is Heading

Leading the industry leap to the next level. The first HoReCa Revenue Management event in Finland

Event Info

8:15am - 5pm
13 September 2022
Clarion Hotel Aviapolis

The world of hospitality is continuously evolving, with many changes accelerated by the pandemic. 
 
We’re looking to the future of hotels and, in particular, the role of technology going forward: 
 
The Future of Hotels: What Does the Industry Need to Tackle in 2023? 
 

Promote Leadership Training

The hospitality industry took a serious hit during the pandemic. As well as being completely locked down, they were one of the last industries to reopen - and even then, it was staggered and full of setbacks.  
 
During this time, many people (particularly millennials) moved to other industries and professions - ones that would offer them more security should the world lock down again.  
 
This, however, has been detrimental to the industry post-COVID. So, what can we do to cement security in the future of hotels? 
 
Implementing leadership training is one of the most important actions hospitality companies can take. Hoteliers need to focus on staff retention; building secure jobs with growth opportunities and offering high levels of training, development and upskilling. 
 
Attractive opportunities within the industry will not only entice people back, but they’ll also encourage employees to stay. Without excellent staff, you can’t offer a high standard of service so, in order to succeed as a company, you need to focus first and foremost on bringing back good quality staff. 

Reinvent Your Hotel 

The worst thing a hotel can do post-COVID is go back to being the same old property it used to be. 
 
The world has moved one - and in particular, the hospitality industry - in terms of what people want, what people can afford, and what people are prioritizing - but also in terms of technology.  
Experience-inspired stays are all the rage, and people are clinging tightly to their purse strings, only spending on something they deem necessary and ‘worth it’. They want to make the most of their holidays - be it abroad or a staycation - and make important memories.  

By moving with the times and looking to the future of hotels, offering streamlined online processes, focusing on experiences, and simplifying the customer journey, you can entice people to spend their hard-earned money with you.  2023 will be all about embracing new technologies, learning new ways of doing things, and simplifying your processes. 

Marketing Automation  

With there being a focus on staff shortages, now is a critical time for the hospitality industry.  
Automation is essential in offering hoteliers additional support. By having intuitive technology that creates personalized pathways between you and the customer, you can relieve the pressure of doing it manually, without losing the personal touch. 

As we move into 2023, hoteliers should look to ramp up their automated communication and boost its effectiveness. Our marketing automation tool is ground-breakingly brilliant, offering enhanced connections with potential and existing guests. 

Focusing on Domestic Tourism 

Air travel companies are also experiencing a staffing crisis, meaning that hundreds of flights are being delayed, or even cancelled, throwing holidaymakers' plans into chaos - to the point where many are holding off booking a holiday abroad altogether.  
 
Coupled with the fact that many people are also considering the security factors of staying in their own country, will 2023 be a year of increased domestic tourism? It’s looking likely.  
 
Hoteliers should therefore be adapting their packages and offerings accordingly, focusing on the ever-popular staycations and improving their domestic client strategy. 

Cohesion 

As we move into 2023, the hospitality industry will need to start tackling pressing issues as a collective. As well as recovering from the pandemic, the world is also experiencing climate change hurdles, rising food and energy prices, conflicts and more - on top of already thin staffing levels.  
 
These are all issues that, as an industry, we can overcome collectively; hoteliers need to offer better career prospects and education, drive destination eco-strategies and implement purchasing schemes.  
 
Pulling together to overcome the challenges of the modern industry will help to drive results.  
 
Local, national and worldwide tourism needs lobbying in 2023. 
 
With all this in mind, what are the next steps for the hospitality industry? 

The Future of Hotels: Profitroom’s Top Tips for 2023: 

Hoteliers need to strip back to basics; offering incredible customer service in all its facets is the most important element of rebuilding a successful business. 

Whilst the industry is still experiencing the aftermath of the pandemic, hoteliers need to move on - not use it as an excuse for delivering a bad service or product. 

Here at Profitroom, we believe that hoteliers need to showcase fun and passion; remind people of the joy that can be found in hospitality and find ways to deliver it in spite of the challenges. 
 
Technology is the future - but it needs to be integrated with other systems. Eliminating manual labor and utilizing automation tools  will help hoteliers drive their business forward during times of uncertainty.

This will allow extra time to deal with what really matters to your guests: having an unforgettable experience. Hoteliers will need to offer unrivalled, brilliant holidays to ensure that guests return in the future. 
 
Hoteliers need to train staff to be exceptional. To do this, you need to make your company enticing, brilliant, and employee focused.  Happy staff make happy customers - which, in turn, will skyrocket your revenue. Hoteliers need to be exceptional, inventive and innovative, thinking outside the box when it comes to experiences and packages for guests. 

It’s the little details that count, such as special messages, personal touches and unique offerings. 
Your website should be creative and clever, capturing fresh new ideas, telling a story and making it easy for the client to book. 

The Northern Lights Village case study is a prime example of a business offering unique packages, excellent customer service, and a streamlined, powerful online system. Here at Profitroom, we partnered with them to help transform their offering, bolstering their success in the industry. 

A representative from the Northern Lights Village said, “Since implementing Profitroom, we’ve seen a 55% increase in (ARR) Average Room Rate and a 52% increase in (ABV) Average Booking Value compared to OTA bookings in the space of a year.” 

Businesses need to make environmental changes. 40% of travelers are openly willing to pay more for a sustainable trip.  

48% would also be willing to change a trip itinerary if it was more sustainable.  
We expect to see these trends grow - it’s a twofold perk for hotels both with sustainable responsibility and potential yield.  

Hospitality should be accessible. It’s estimated that one in five people has a disability that affects their daily life.  

Inclusive technology enables and empowers people with disabilities to have equal access to online processes; so, hotels should adapt and offer a way of providing access - from the very start of the booking journey all the way through to the check out.  

Focus on the domestic client. The world is changing, and you need to prioritize the ones who can be loyal, no matter what.  

The key to success in 2023 will be to focus on your domestic clientele, offering staycation packages that will withstand international flight disruptions. 

Adopt simple, honest and reflective pricing. Customers have been understanding of the hospitality industry trying to recoup the money they lost during the pandemic, but they won’t accept this long-term. 

The industry is still facing numerous challenges, but hoteliers must first and foremost make sure they can still attract customers.  

In 2023, hoteliers should take a look at their pricing strategy, to ensure they don’t price themselves out of business. A short-term loss may equal a long-term gain. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the future of hotels and want to secure your business going forward, please contact a member of our Profitroom team to find out how our technology can help you. 

Alternatively, why not read our previous blog to discover how we’re supporting hospitality in Scotland?