The document discusses 10 trends in the hospitality industry for 2021. These include: 1) Increased popularity of staycations and local travel due to the pandemic. 2) Growing use of digital technologies and contactless services to improve the guest experience. 3) Increased focus on personalization and customizing services for each guest. 4) Growing emphasis on sustainability practices and reducing environmental impact. 5) Greater use of automation, cloud-based systems, and data analytics to optimize operations.

1. 10 Trends
2021 Top Hospitality
Industry Trends

2. What are the latest trends in the
hospitality industry?
The 10 trends that have
reshaped (and are still
reshaping) the industry
despite Covid-19

3. In stark contrast to last year’s no. 5 hospitality industry trend
“booming global tourism”, travel restrictions in 2020 have
facilitated the rise of the staycation. Some vacationers may also
be choosing to stay closer to home for environmental or
budgeting reasons, with this year having seen a marked uptick in
holidays spent more locally. Surging online content promising to
“create a balcony haven” or “a garden oasis to be proud of” are
a sign of the times.
Staycations
01

4. Apps, in particular, are increasingly important in the way
hoteliers manage the services they provide to their customers
and can now control many aspects of the guest cycle and
experience. Needless to say, the trend towards digital and
contactless services has gained new momentum in 2020.
Traditionally customer-facing services are being given an
overhaul, thanks to the more widespread use of technology-
assisted options, such as mobile check-in, contactless payments,
voice control and biometrics.
Digitalized guest experiences
& Contactless Technology
02

5. What are the latest trends in the hospitality industry? Well, it
goes without saying that the coronavirus outbreak and ensuing
safety measures have had a significant impact on hospitality
throughout 2020 and will no doubt spill over into 2021 and
beyond. Some responses to this extraordinary situation,
attempting to entice patrons back into food and beverage
outlets and assure holidaygoers that it is indeed safe to enjoy a
hotel stay, have accelerated existing hospitality industry trends
and triggered lasting change.
2021 Top Hospitality
Industry Trends
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6. Personalization
03
Today’s guests have grown to expect to be
recognized and treated as individuals. Establishments
are going the extra mile to personally greet their
guests, while tools such as Mailchimp and Zoho have
made personalized e-mail marketing accessible to the
masses, ensuring highly target audience-specific
communications. Far beyond simply adding the
customer’s name to email greetings, data provides
insight into past buying habits, enabling hotels to tailor
their offers and promotions and automatically provide
similar services to previous stays.

7. Travel guilt is real. Minimalism has reinvigorated the otherwise
somewhat dusty saying “less is more”. Travelers are decreasingly
seeking lavish displays of wealth, preferring instead to spend wisely,
purposefully and make a positive impact on the world. Unique
experiences that give back to local communities in meaningful ways
are in demand, as are niche properties, adventurous holidays and
relaxation retreats.
Experience economy &
essentialism
04

8. The asset-light approach has become prevalent in the industry.
The separation between the management of operations and real-
estate assets now allows hospitality companies to focus on their
core business, thus improving efficiencies.
In addition, new job profiles have emerged following the
increasing complexity of the hospitality industry. In parallel, the
need for quantitative competencies (for forecasting, budgeting,
etc.) has also increased.
New Hospitality skills &
asset management
05

9. These new generations have different requirements
and needs compared to older generations. A
respondent said “Older generations think about hotels
and car rentals. Younger generations think about
Airbnb and Uber.”
Generations X and Y
07
In the age of mindfulness, many have embraced the
meditative value of spending time alone and venturing
out into the big wide world unencumbered, interacting
and making friends to whatever degree suits. In an
effort to make solo travelers feel comfortable, barriers
between hotel staff and guests are being lowered,
interior design choices made to evoke a sense of
homeliness and an informal atmosphere cultivated. This,
along with a less stark divide between guests and
locals, encourages a feeling of hotel community.
Solo Travelers
06

10. A natural extension of avoiding disposable plastics, eliminating
unnecessary paper consumption thanks to opt-in receipts and
reducing food waste, more far-reaching ethical and
environmental considerations are shaping decisions made at the
hospitality management level. Decisions about things as simple as
which towel rails to install during renovations have
disproportionate repercussions when implemented at scale.
Simple eco-friendly switches include replacing miniature toiletries
with larger, locally sourced dispensers, choosing ethically
produced bedsheets made from organic materials and reducing
energy consumption with smart bulbs, etc. Vegetarian and vegan
options also harbor well-known environmental advantages.
Sustainability
08

11. Following on from the orientation towards visually appealing
content, it seems only natural that businesses in the hospitality
industry should seek to capitalize on features such as virtual tours,
conjuring up a digital environment for consumers to picture
themselves in. As ever, keeping the access threshold low is key to
reaching as broad an audience as possible with virtual reality
material: making content accessible on a variety of devices, without
the need for a VR headset.
Virtual & augmented
reality
09

12. Hotel operations more generally are increasingly shaped by the
use of management systems to monitor and optimize revenues,
customer relationships, property, channels and reputation. Mobile,
cloud-based and integrated solutions are especially sought-after.
Not to mention the rising importance of integrated messaging,
predictive analytics, customer profiling and middleware, which
seeks to connect any disparate systems. (See the respective
infographic based on research undertaken by SiteMinder et al.).
Automation & technology
10

13. Are you looking for an affordable solution to train
yourself or your staff on the latest hygiene and safety
practices for hotels and restaurants?
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