4 Trends that Make Hospitality Exceptional

With the vibrant variety of cultures and languages, each country in the APAC region has its unique preferences and approaches towards tourism and hospitality. Here are some trends that are going to influence the sector in 2020

Fremont, CA: 59.66 percent of the world's population stays in the Asia-Pacific region. It counts for nearly 4.6 billion people. This massive chunk of the population is undoubtedly a concern, but hospitality marketers look at this as a sizable market with ample opportunities. With the vibrant variety of cultures and languages, each country in this region has its unique preferences and approaches towards tourism and hospitality.

Hospitality marketers take these nuances as the greatest opportunity to serve the Asian market because without understanding these variations, marketing underperforms and marketing falls flat. Here are some key trends that not only influence a marketer's approach considering the micro-nuances but also at a macro-level.

Addressing the Millennials

Millennials, making up 25 percent of the workforce, are entering their peak earning years. The West characterizes millennial behavior as a discrete one that shares more similarities than differences. The generation is more enthusiastic about traveling, and their rising purchasing power is affecting travel at all levels. A 2019 Hilton survey, which touched around 2,300 travelers across the Asia-Pacific region, reveals that 75 percent of them want to be an expert traveler and want to pioneer in discovering new locations. Hence, it is an excellent opportunity for marketers to address this generation, keeping in mind that they are the most technologically updated generation. 

Mobile Bookings

 Mobile bookings have become a prominent method for travelers. Gone are the days when one used to sit in front of a desktop, search through the available options, and book for a tour. A report highlights the strong performance of the mobile channel among Asian travelers. There has been an enormous rise in the mobile booking share in just two years. Hence, marketing and retailing on mobile devices have become increasingly crucial for marketers. Using the right technology, a marketer can track the entire travel journey of a traveler, and based on that information, a marketer can offer more personalized service in the future. A multi-channel attribution, which though, isn't easy at times, is essential, which gives complete information regarding search, booking, in-destination, and post-trip feedback through the mobile. 

 Personalization 

The travelers don't hesitate to share their data related to the tour and journey. The reason being, their preference for a more personalized experience. Asian travelers tend towards "more is better." So they comfortably share their data and experiences openly in social media and other social platforms. They expect the hospitality industry to use those data to make their journey and stay as personalized as possible in their next visit. The marketers have equally realized that data-driven personalization positively impacts conversions and revenue at scale. Hoteliers need to identify the tools necessary to capitalize this. Uniting around a single CRM can boost up the subscription by 50 percent through higher click rates and thus, increasing the revenue. 

In-Room Technology 

The smart generation prefers smart stays. Asian travelers expect their stays to get integrated with their smartphones. Mobile check-in and check-outs, push alerts, offering destination inspirations, and tailored in-room entertainment are some of the expectations of the travelers across the Asia-pacific region. Guests expect to be able to stream the content on their devices than in-room cable television. This may come up with astronomical data costs but hardly matters for travelers who want to consume content in native languages. Hotels are now joining hands with the companies that provide these facilities free of cost to the guests. They also provide access to smart room services and in-destination tips.