As a hotelier, keeping a pulse on the latest industry trends is crucial. In a highly competitive and fast-moving sector, staying ahead of the curve is key, particularly when meeting guests’ new and evolving expectations. With 93% of travelers agreeing that a hotel stay can make or break a trip, tapping into guest needs and demands is essential.
2022 was a whirlwind year for the hotel industry. There was a stronger-than-expected rebound for demand across the year; we learned that guests are increasingly favoring digital service encounters over face-to-face interactions, and technological advances continued to play a significant role in the evolution of the hotel industry.
In 2023, hotel daily room demand is headed to an all-time high – with this in mind, hoteliers must tap into the latest trends to ensure they stay ahead.
Here are the top five hotel trends to watch over the next 12 months.
1. Digital hotel experiences
Technology offers hoteliers an opportunity to hyper-personalize stays – and with 86% of travelers looking for personalization during their 2023 travel experiences and interactions, we should expect to see an increase in digital hotel experiences moving forward.
For example, 3D room tours and interactive hotel maps may lead the beginning of the guest journey, enabling guests to choose the right room and explore a hotel before booking. Virtual concierge services will become more commonplace, allowing guests to personalize their stay with additional requests, services, and amenities without visiting the front desk or leaving their room.
An increase in voice-activated rooms will enable guests to personalize their stay further through simple voice commands – for example, adjusting the lighting, setting the room temperature, or requesting a morning alarm.
2. Mobile check-in and virtual reception
2022 saw a huge employment crisis in the hotel industry, with a startling 87% of hotels reporting staffing shortages. Moving into 2023, we’ll continue to see the replacement of human-driven interactions throughout the guest journey, with more hotel automating tasks where possible. Rather than having someone manually check in guests, handle requests and extend stays, the key will lie in automation. The digitalization of check-in will free up staff time and resources to focus on other aspects of the guest journey.
Investment in mobile check-in technologies will continue to be essential as hotels work to tackle the employment crisis – and as guests increasingly come to expect a seamless check-in experience too. Hotels will continue implementing smarter and more efficient operations, with digital check-in at the forefront of the guest experience.
3. Digital identity verification
As the shift to a fully contactless hotel experience continues, digital identity verification will also become more commonplace. Rather than standing in line and handing over a physical ID card to a receptionist, guests can easily verify their identity on their mobile device – like authenticating a Uber profile or verifying someone on Airbnb.
This shift will not only benefit the guest experience but also provide an additional layer of security for hoteliers, helping to protect against fraudulent activity and unwelcome chargebacks.
4. Mobile wallets and digital payments
As the concept of a cashless society continues to drive forward, more guests will expect to use mobile wallets and one-tap digital payments to make purchases throughout their hotel stays. Hotels must start facilitating mobile payments to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with the competition. These one-click experiences will fuel a smoother, frictionless guest journey.
Digital wallets will likely become more widely used and accepted, enabling guests and travelers to store their credit cards, hotel keys, loyalty cards, and vouchers all in one place on their mobile devices.
5. Future of hotel apps
Over the next year, we predict an acceleration in the advancement of hotel apps and the offerings available to guests. Apps will evolve to address 100% of guests’ needs, extending beyond check-in and check-out to allow guests to personalize their stay from their own devices. Requests and actions that previously required a trip to the front desk have the ability to be controlled from a centralized platform in guests’ mobile phones – such as extending check-out, ordering room service, or requesting more towels.
Virdee: a virtual reception for your guests
At Virdee, we provide hotels with the best-in-class, guest-facing hotel technology. Our mission is to provide seamless interactions, improve hotel efficiencies, and help hoteliers save money with our fully mobile virtual reception. We’re proud to be the leading all-in-one guest experience solution, providing hotels with an unparalleled in-lobby experience that covers all check-in needs, including physical key cards, ID check, room upgrades, and remote assistance.
To learn more about our all-in-one mobile and web app, visit https://virdee.io/.
