First of all, a (slightly belated) Happy New Year from us here at LoungeUp! The first few months of a year are always engaging, forecasting which trends will emerge and gain momentum. This is no doubt the case for the hospitality industry, and Killarney Hotels have produced an insightful infographic showing how the industry is growing, with the global revenue predicted to be $550 billion in this coming year, compared to just $457 billion in 2011.

This detailed infographic highlights some interesting observations and predictions for 2016, of which we have picked two which we feel to be particularly intriguing:

1. Make sure to be millennial ready

Who are the millennials? If you find yourself asking this question, take a look at our previous blog which explains just who they are in detail. 

In a nutshell, they are those who grew up with technology, using it intuitively and on a daily basis. Why is this important?

MILLENNIALS RISE UP AS THE NEW GLOBAL TRAVELLERS

As can be seen through this snapshot taken from the infographic, they will soon replace the current dominant consumer group to be the ‘new global travellers’; loving technology and all things modern, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve.

While a continental breakfast spread may impress some, what they are really looking for is an experience that is second-to-none, one where they feel at home.

And what do they love? Technology, personalisation & instant gratification. Another way to view this is to take into account the ‘millenial mindset’ (as seen here); the idea that the millenial is not defined by the year in which they were born, but by a desire to have a seamless, modern experience when they travel.

This further increases the influence of this demographic; predicted to be the dominant consumer group by 2017 by Killarney Hotels, 2016 should therefore be the year when hotels prepare for this advancing trend and ensure they are ready.

2. Take on tech

As the predictions in the infographic show, technology is more important than ever. All things required to go that extra mile can be achieved through modernising your technology. The figures in this extract speak for themselves:

HOTEL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS FOR 2016

MOBILE DEVICES AND APPS WILL ENABLE PERSONALISED CUSTOMER SERVICES

According to Killarney Hotels, three quarters of travellers admit the high importance of their smartphones, with one third using them even more when they travel than they do when at home.

There is a reason for this: technology makes life easier.

Travelling is the perfect time to make the most of the varying functionalities of smartphones: being able to access local information, ask questions, order services and see touristic activities through the device they are so familiar with makes a guest’s stay so much easier.

So with all the competition present, give yourself the advantage with the ‘big plus’ of a mobile app; with those such as LoungeUp, you can:

– personalise a guest’s stay through push notifications and special offers tailored to them
– enable them to find what they want, where they want, when they want: easily provide information (your hotel, local information, tourism, maps…) on the app, which can even be used offline
– let them order what they want directly through the app: we all know people these days feel more at ease communicating via technology, so why not let your guests order room service, an extra towel or a taxi straight from their smartphone?

... why not treat yourself?

Satisfied guests are obviously key to success in the hospitality industry, but this isn’t the only advantage of technology.

Not only can you easily manage orders and respond to queries, you can use pre and post stay communication to offer specific promotions, increase loyalty and receive data both about your guests and the success of your marketing strategies.

Investing in technology is therefore not just a great way to enhance guest experience, but also to streamline your day-to-day operations.

With Killarney Hotels’ predicted data for 2016, it’s clear that technology is continuing to become increasingly more prominent, less of an option and more of a necessity as millenials start to become the dominant consumer group.

Even though we can only make an educated guess as to what will happen, one thing is for sure: 2016 will be an exciting year, seeing how hotels evolve to provide the best possible experience for their guests using the newest technological techniques on the market.

Happy 2016 to all our readers!

Sources:

• Killarney Hotels
• http://www.killarneyhotels.ie/files/images/new/566e766f96ca6.jpg
• Hotel News Now: Study shows unexpected habits of Millenials
• Hotel Interactive: Millennials vs the Millennial Mindset

Written by Rebecca Benson

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