Past the Mattress: Lodging firms craft unforgettable visitor experiences

In at the moment’s journey panorama, vacationers crave greater than only a comfy room.  They search distinctive experiences that create lasting reminiscences. The “Government Panel: Past the Mattress – An Expertise You’ll By no means Neglect” at Phocuswright Europe 2024 explored how main lodging firms are innovating to satisfy these evolving calls for. Moderated by Lorraine Sileo, Founder, Phocuswright Analysis and Senior Analyst at Phocuswright Inc., the session featured Maud Bailly (CEO Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery, Emblems, Accor), Nils Korsvoll (VP Buyer Journey & Product Improvement, Strawberry), and Juan Carlos Sanjuan (Founder & President, Informal Accommodations).

The panelists emphasised the significance of fostering a definite model id that extends past the bodily lodge room.  Bailly highlighted the essential position of outstanding service: “Accommodations are constructed on two pillars: product and repair. Whereas offering a phenomenal room ensures an excellent evening’s sleep, it’s the service tradition that actually creates lasting reminiscences. It’s about emotional intelligence, personalizing the expertise, and making visitors really feel particular. They could not bear in mind their precise sleep high quality, however they’ll bear in mind the way you made them really feel.”

Korsvoll described his firm’s distinctive strategy to constructing employees tradition: “We’ve externalized our inner get together tradition for our visitors. We don’t do conventional recruitment; as a substitute, we maintain large-scale auditions in every metropolis. Whereas these candidates might not have prior hospitality expertise, they possess the proper character and power. We then put money into intensive coaching to equip them with the required abilities.”

Sanjuan underscored the rising give attention to making a happiness-driven ecosystem: “We’re transferring past a purely transactional mannequin and aiming to domesticate a tradition of happiness inside our inns.”

The panelists additionally mentioned the shift in direction of leisure journey.  Bailly famous that Accor is now experiencing a 65% leisure journey combine in comparison with a pre-pandemic 50/50 cut up.  “Leisure vacationers at the moment have new calls for,” she defined. “They search bigger areas, villas, and the next stage of service, together with facilities like in-room cooking choices. We’re constructing manufacturers that cater to those evolving wants.”

Wellbeing experiences are one other key pattern. Bailly highlighted the significance of holistic wellness applications:  “Vacationers are now not solely targeted on aesthetics; they need to really feel good total. Our Purist program, constructed on 4 pillars of wellness, has been an enormous success.”

Sustainability additionally emerged as a vital issue for at the moment’s vacationers.  Bailly identified that 46% of Accor’s inns at the moment are eco-certified, reflecting a rising demand for accountable tourism practices.  Korsvoll shared an instance of how his firm incorporates sustainability into their convention choices:  “Nordic inns have carbon budgets for his or her conferences, so menus might function extra vegetarian choices as a substitute of beef. Whereas some delegates may initially miss steak choices, we clarify that these decisions align with their firm’s carbon objectives.”

The session concluded with a name for ongoing training.  Bailly emphasised the necessity to educate visitors about sustainable practices: “There’s a stage of clarification required when explaining why we’d not offer plastic water bottles. It’s a journey that requires ongoing communication and training.”

Sanjuan echoed the give attention to creating a personalised expertise: “We attempt to make our visitors really feel like they’re staying in a good friend’s house. Every of our rooms is exclusive, providing a definite expertise for each visitor.”