welcome to mojo travels and today we're
counting down our picks for the top 10
ways hotels
need to change for the future of travel
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for this list we're looking at the
various ways in which hotels need to
evolve
if they're to survive the new realities
and concerns of travel
number 10 the death of the breakfast
buffet
we know this hurts we've all got that
childhood photo from a family vacation
where 10 year old you is sitting down at
a table your face half obscured by a
mountain of bacon
we're not sure how much people will miss
the stale muffins offered as part of the
motel continental breakfast
but the convenience was undeniable the
reality is however the pandemic has made
us acutely aware of how easily viruses
or bacteria can be spread
there is a little germaphobe living in
all of our heads now and it's got plenty
of evidence to draw from
for some people a hotel continuing to
offer self-serve buffets may be enough
to undermine their confidence in the
establishment
at the very least hotels will need to
have servers and physical barriers
between the guests and food
more likely however we'll see the system
eliminated in favor of alternative
grab-and-go models to be consumed in
your room
number nine no more high-touch waste
hotels are infamous for the amount of
waste they produce
from single-use toiletries to pens and
notepads
rooms and communal spaces often have
magazines physical directories and
various other nice little touches to
make guests feel at home and taken care
of
well industry experts are predicting
that much of the above will go the way
of the old-timey elevator operator
directories are more efficient on a
phone and if a hotel guest is the type
to scrawl something down on a piece of
paper
chances are they travel with their own
notebook and a decent quality pen
the governing mentality moving forward
is likely one of eliminating
any high-touch objects that might be
overlooked by house cleaning
and let's be honest the current
standards result in a ton of waste
furthermore decorative items like throw
pillows will be eliminated because as
pointed out
in so many articles about surfaces to
avoid in hotels
they rarely get cleaned number eight
time slots in activity spaces sorry
but the hotel gym or pool meet cute is
beginning to look like a thing of the
past
just kidding no one's looking to meet
that special someone in a hotel gym to
begin with
but hotels are going to be rethinking
the amenities they offer
particularly those involving an enclosed
physical space
shared by multiple guests at once during
the pandemic
hotels close their gyms spas saunas
pools and game rooms
they'll open up again but with concerns
about sanitation and personal
hygiene habits here to stay hotels that
want to thrive will likely rethink how
they manage these spaces
we expect longer operating hours to
accommodate all lifestyles
but with a strictly limited capacity
there will likely be virtual sign up
sheets inviting guests to pick a time
slot
sure it eliminates the possibility of a
spontaneous workout or schvitz
but it sure beats an overcrowded gym or
sauna
number seven room service and bar pickup
i'm gonna hang out in the hotel bar for
a bit
though once commonly heard amongst
business travelers this sentence may
soon be retired in response to the
pandemic
many hotels made their bars and
restaurants take out only
others even tried to put a fun spin on
the restrictions
by sending their guests diy cocktail
kits right to their room
even if you can still sit at the bar
travelers do not want to see a bowl of
peanuts sitting on the counter to be
shared with their fellow patrons
we also expect room service to all but
replace communal dining spaces
once a luxury room service will become
the default option for eating at the
hotel
foodies aren't a niche demographic
anymore people are more food focused
than ever
so this is also an opportunity for
hotels to up their food game
and make in-house dining experiences
genuinely exciting
rather than just a convenient luxury
number six
more automation over the next few years
we expect the concept of a front desk to
get a radical overhaul
hotels know the importance of personal
touches and customer service
so don't worry any respectable hotel
will always have a human being on call
in case of emergency
but most of the busy work will likely be
done on your phone
it'll start with check-in but will also
extend to how you schedule housekeeping
and wake-up calls
or make other comment arrangements with
the front desk many hotels will
also implement an app-based system to
allow your phone to unlock your room
replacing the time-honored key card once
in your room
that same app will likely work to
control everything from the lights and
thermostat to the television
expect your phone to also be how
payments are made
though this is likely a ways off at
least for the average hotel
we may even see robotic cleaning units
sent into the room to sanitize the space
using uv light after housekeeping has
finished
number five marketing and social media
for everyone working in the marketing
department be it for a hotel or any
other travel related business
we know 2020 was a rough year even when
the pandemic is squarely in our
collective rear view
there will still be major hurdles to
overcome in getting guests back into
hotels
yes there's been lots of talk about
revenge tourism
the term refers to people making up for
lost time and splurging on a big holiday
as soon as they can
but this industry requires repeat
customers and steady traffic
and the key to successful recovery is
being able to convey to prospective
guests that you're offering all the
familiar comforts
while also implementing necessary change
hotels need to tailor their marketing
efforts to allay pandemic fears
in a way that says we take your safety
seriously so you can relax
in a worry-free way social media will be
more essential than ever
it can't just be a stream of
conventional promotional posts
travelers will look to a hotel's social
media for reassurance and promises about
their key protocols
number four rethinking perks and
incentives
hotels have long used loyalty programs
as an incentive for returning customers
reward points and discounts are all well
and good but these require numerous
stays before you experience
any sort of direct benefit or savings
surveys show that post-pandemic
people are likely to travel less often
and for longer periods of time
for hotels looking to set themselves
apart from the pack this
is an opportunity to address the
changing habits of travelers by offering
incentives that people can enjoy on day
one
and that have a lasting impact on their
stay some hotels are looking to add
unique value to the rooms themselves
with in-room exercise equipment and
fitness apps so guests can get a workout
in their room
little touches like a free minibar go a
long way and can still make an impact
even when stocked in a budget-minded way
at the very least hotels need to
eliminate the expiration date on the
points that their customers have already
earned number three hotels will need to
give back
do you know which hotels are making
headlines the ones who have made it
clear to the general public that they've
got their priorities in order
the verad a boutique hotel in vancouver
made rooms available free of charge to
overworked hospital staff so they could
shower
and nap other hotels announced programs
in which revenue goes directly to paying
staff until such a time as they return
to full capacity again
programs such as these are only intended
for the duration of the pandemic and the
recovery period
but there's a universally applicable
takeaway people want to support
businesses that they see as
fundamentally good
hotels will need to offer more than
service and luxury moving forward
travelers want to stay at hotels that
are part of the larger community
and from feeding the underprivileged and
establishing community gardens
to extending healthcare plans for the
staff there are many ways to do it
number two stricter sanitation practices
this might not be a fun subject but its
importance cannot be overstated
even when our memories of covid19 begin
to fade our new collective standards of
cleanliness will remain
for years the internet has been full of
articles and lists detailing all the
objects and spaces you should avoid in
hotels
because they never get cleaned from the
duvet cover to the dreaded ice bucket
we collectively read these articles for
kicks and then tried not to think about
the specifics when we actually went to
hotels
moving forward however there can't be
blind spots
hotels cannot afford to have a customer
complain about hairs in the bottom of
the shower
a strange sock under the bed or an
unemptied garbage bin
post-pandemic it's not just a question
of cleanliness and sanitation
these things also take on symbolic value
if there's a stain on the sheets
what else has the staff overlooked
number one
a whole experience not just a place to
stay
what do you look for when searching for
accommodations
many people feel a need to splurge only
to realize that upon reaching their
destination
a busy schedule of sightseeing and
activities means they really only use
that hotel room for sleeping
based on changing attitudes about travel
however we think that now more than ever
hotels will need to redefine themselves
as more than just a place to rest your
head
international travel is looking to be
complicated for the foreseeable future
so people will likely be staying close
to home this creates an opportunity for
more
local customers but in order to entice
them to leave home
hotels need to offer packaged
experiences that seem worth the expense
this can take many forms including
partnerships with local vineyards and
attractions
is the area known for something special
bring that to the guests
tapping local restaurants to transform
room service into an in-room food tour
is another unique way to add value
if they want guests hotels will need to
offer something truly special check out
this other recent clip from mojo travels
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