Top 2024 Travel Trends Every Hotel Should Know About

In many ways, the hotel industry is cyclical. However, each year brings about new trends and consumer behaviors that informed hoteliers can anticipate to boost occupancy rates, stand out among their competitors, ensure operations run smoothly, and keep guests and staff happy.

Let's Talk Trends

This blog will explore the top travel trends of 2024 that hotel owners and managers can lean into to boost business this year.

Travel to Europe hits an all-time high

With pandemic shutdowns mostly behind us, 2023 was a record-setting year for European travel, and we expect to see even more in 2024. This is great news for European hotels. With all of this foot traffic, it will be important to find ways to stand out among the competition and offer extra value to guests.

Here are some tips to consider:

• Utilize travel ads and display advertising to target the millions of travelers coming to your area.
• Implement innovative technology to attract business and leisure travelers and automate operations. There are many technologies you can look into such as food and delivery service robots, automated cleaning robots, digital ordering and payment systems, communication technologies and more.

In-person business meetings and conferences return

Business travel is back in action as many corporations are finding significant value in face-to-face meetings with customers and in-person conferences. While this type of travel is still lower in volume than pre-COVID years, we have seen this segment continue to grow for the past three years and is expected to reach $1.4 trillion this year according to GBTA’s Business Travel Index Outlook.

Hotels would be wise to consider this and ensure they can provide value to business travelers.

Resort and Conference Center Management

Here are some tips to consider if you want to attract corporate guests:

• Work with venue sourcing and corporate travel management platforms to position your event space and business accommodations in front of corporate event planners.
• Business travelers expect digital experiences and ease of connectivity. Evaluate the technology and spaces you offer to your business guests, including online booking, digital payments, meeting technology, hybrid event accommodations, meeting spaces and more.
• Loyalty programs that offer value-add experiences can cultivate relationships and keep corporations coming back year after year.

Travelers come for business and stay for leisure

“Bleisure” travel is a popular trend for modern business travelers and has especially been noticeable among the younger demographic of workforce professionals. Business travelers are adding on some extra vacation days after their work-related travel ends so they can unwind and enjoy the city or country around them.

Here are some tips to consider:

• What incentives can you provide to encourage guests to book longer stays at your hotel?
• Health and wellness has become a rising trend and post-pandemic priority. Consider the services and amenities you can offer to your guests to support their mental and physical well-being.

Value pricing boosts booking volume for cruises

2024 will be a banner year for cruise vacations; the booking volume is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels. A big reason for this is that cruises offer guests a complete vacation experience at high-value prices compared to hotel and resort vacations.

Here are some tips to consider if your hotel is in a position to compete with cruise vacations:

• Consider what unique and exclusive experiences you can offer your guests at value prices. Maybe there are partner organizations in your community you can work with to enhance the guest experience.
• Capitalize on the health and wellness trends to offer leisure travelers extra relaxation and rejuvenation during their stay with you.
• Evaluate your guest experience and find ways to make it stand out amongst the rest.

Ask a hotel management consultant for a free evaluation

Take the time to consider the 2024 travel trends and look into innovative technology and operational processes to continue to meet the ever-evolving demands of travelers and stay ahead of the competition.

Hotel management companies are a great tool for assessing opportunities to help you meet your goals. At Prospera Hospitality, we offer free consultations to help identify strategies you can use to attract guests, stand out among your competitors, automate operational processes and improve the overall experience for guests and staff members.

Contact us today or learn more about our hospitality services.

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