The Future of Hospitality: What Travelers Want, and How the Industry Can Deliver
New research uncovers five ways traveler expectations have evolved
What I love about travel is how unique it is to each individual – we visit places based on our own goals, dreams, and interests to better connect with the world around us.
Our mission at Amadeus has always been to make travel more rewarding for all. It’s become clear over the past few years that the success of our industry is increasingly dependent on the ability to put travelers first.
With travel rebounding, now is the perfect time to take stock of how the industry has shifted along with our attitudes to travel. It’s important to acknowledge that the priorities travelers had three years ago may not be the same today. The world has undergone a massive shift since the pandemic, and travelers are no different.
To better help the hospitality industry understand how traveler expectations are changing, we conducted new research this spring. Backed by data and interviews with industry experts, Catalysts for Change: Building the Hospitality Ecosystem of the Future uncovered what’s topping traveler wish lists now and how the industry can adapt.
Here are the five driving forces for change behind what travelers want.
- Personalization - Travelers want their trips to reflect more of their individual interests and preferences. They want to receive tailored communications, recommendations, and options to enhance their stay. This is quickly becoming a “must have” for hoteliers to deliver to differentiate their offerings and attract bookings.
- Sustainability - Travelers are increasingly concerned about their environmental impact and are taking necessary steps where possible to reduce their carbon footprint. They want to support and engage with companies and brands offering sustainable practices.
- Digital experiences - Technology has become an integral part of our daily routines since the pandemic, allowing us to work remotely, stream content, video chat and enjoy other conveniences. Travelers want to continue using their devices away from home to accomplish everything from hotel check-in/out and payment to ordering room service, booking excursions and more – all without the need to interact with staff.
- Peace of mind - Trips can still come with unexpected hiccups, and travelers want to make sure they are protected with clear, concise policies. There is increased demand for insurance to become a part of the hotel booking process and an expectation that companies play an active role in launching automated claims in the event of an emergency. Insurance companies have an opportunity to quickly shed a ‘one size fits all’ approach in favor of personalized or even more flexible ‘cancel for any reason’ policies to grow revenue.
- Seamless journeys - Why book just a hotel room when you can also purchase airport transfers, rental bikes, travel insurance, and onsite activities at the click of a button? Having access to a wide variety of content to view, book, and change reservations in one place takes the stress out of planning for the traveler while securing additional revenue for travel sellers and providers. It’s a win – win.
It’s our job as technology providers to tailor our solutions to make the experience of travel better for everyone, everywhere. At Amadeus, we believe the best way to achieve this is through a hospitality ecosystem approach – combining content across hotels, mobility, and travel protection. In doing so, travelers benefit from smoother and more integrated experiences, while travel sellers and providers can benefit from improved data and customer loyalty.
A technology ecosystem approach that values community and collaboration delivers the best results. By working together, the hospitality industry can ride this positive wave well into the future.
For more on how to better serve the evolving needs of travelers and bring the experiences of tomorrow to life, download our full paper Catalysts for Change.
About Amadeus
Amadeus powers more personalized and authentic travel experiences. Our solutions are designed to enrich every stage of the traveller journey and help hospitality providers acquire, service, and retain guests by profitably driving demand and converting them into loyal fans.
Backed by over 30 years of experience, we design open, cutting-edge software to provide the most efficient, trusted, and reliable systems for our customers. With experts in 175+ countries, we have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and a desire to enable our hotel partners to create memorable guest experiences.
To find out more about Amadeus, visit www.amadeus-hospitality.com.
