Maybe the better question to start with is, “who is the hotel guest of 2020?” With 2020 just around the corner, hoteliers must prepare for what their future guests want from a hotel, and the only way to know this is by understanding who these guests are.
A poll recently completed by, Expedia’s advertising leg, surveyed 1,001 U.S. travelers who booked a trip online in the last year on their behavior and preferences.
The results are in, “millennials (ages 24 to 35) travel the most, 35 days each year, but were followed closely by Generation Z travelers (ages 18 to 23), who travel 29 days each year. Generation X travels the least, the result of work and family commitments.”
(Source: The Skift)
The Next Generation Traveler: The Millennial
The millennial traveller, loosely defined as those who were born between 1980 and 2000, already makes up over one-third of the world’s hotel guests and predictions say this percentage will increase to fifty percent by the year 2020.
Knowing this, enforces how important it is for those involved in creating the hotel space to understand the characteristics, behaviors, and likes/dislikes of the millennial hotel guest.
What Guests Want From A Hotel
We all should know by now that the millennial generation are tech mavens, so providing anything less at your hotel JUST. WON’T. DO.
So, before you hit the design build phase at your hotel, consider what guests want from a hotel:
- Self-sufficient
- Experience, more important than budget
- Healthy options
Guests Crave Self Sufficiency
Millennial travelers want the freedom to choose how and when they interact with your hotel, they want the ability to help themselves, to be self-sufficient.
Consider Experience over Budget
While studios show, millennial's are earning on average 20% less than their parents, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll spend less on travel and accommodations. As one of the most educated generations, millennial's seek out the “biggest bang for their buck,” by looking for opportunities to be adventurous, diversify their lives, and experience new cultures.
*Note: if you can successfully provide a unique experience for this generation, you can guarantee that they’ll be sharing it through their digital personalities.
Demand Healthy Options and Wellness Living
Many refer to millennial's as the most health-conscious, clean-living generation. A total of 8 out of every 10 millennials believe that eating healthily is key to longevity and wellness. They will use technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to educate themselves on smart meal options and wellness options (fitness programs, meditation apps, etc.).
Today’s Hotel Must Understand and Anticipate Guests Needs
The true definition of “hospitality” (as defined by Merriam-Webster) is “the activity or business of providing services to guests.”
Hotels must cater to the needs and expectations set forth by what guests want from their hotel. And while we’ve chosen to discuss the millennial traveler, understanding your hotel's target demographic is the ultimate key to appealing to their needs.
