COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the hospitality industry, with much of the sector being completely shut down for significant periods during the past two years.
However, as the world slowly but surely opens up again, the hospitality sector is recovering well, with people beginning to travel again and meeting up with family and friends.
And with the speed of recovery on track to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, there’s a lot for the hospitality industry to look forward to in the Summer Season 2022.
So, what can you expect from the industry this year? We’ve rounded up our top hospitality industry predictions.
Holistic hospitality
Holistic hospitality is set to be huge in 2022, with more people than ever before prioritising their health and wellbeing. As a result, the wellness industry is booming, especially spas and hotels with spa facilities.
At the same time, there’s also a growing demand for health diagnostic technology and bespoke treatment plans that tackle a wide range of health concerns including emotional balance, healing, stress management, mindfulness and better sleep.
Personal experience
Having not been able to enjoy much of the hospitality for some time now, guests want to feel extra special, whether they’re dining out or staying in a hotel. Creating a personal guest experience can really help to ensure that your guests have a memorable experience when they stay or dine with you.
Tactics that many establishments are already using include personally greeting guests and sending personalised offers and emails to customers. Technological platforms such as CRM (customer relationship management) and CEM (customer experience management) are set to become even more crucial, allowing businesses in the hospitality industry to create one-to-one interactions with guests at scale.
Digital experiences
Technology is a huge part of our everyday lives, with many of us using our mobile phones and other devices to communicate, shop, bank and much more. And, during the pandemic, technology played an even more central role in our lives, with many customer-facing services becoming contactless.
So it’s not surprising that this year, apps that allow guests to control all elements of the guest cycle experience are set to be huge. Customer-facing services, such as mobile check-in, contactless payments, voice control and biometrics, will continue to be digitalised and facial and fingerprint recognition will also be introduced for improved convenience.
Technology is evolving fast, and businesses in the hospitality sector will need to keep up.
Unique travel
Customers are now demanding unique experiences across all aspects of the hospitality sector. For example, record numbers of travellers are now seeking lavish experiences that add an exciting and memorable dimension to their trip.
As a result, there has been a stark increase in travellers looking for niche properties, luxurious relaxation retreats, adventurous holidays and extraordinary hotels.
Lower corporate demand for travel
Although travel for leisure is predicted to rise again this year, business travel is unlikely to see the same recovery. In fact, according to The Global Business Travel Association, business travel spending isn’t expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025.
As a result, hotels will need to adapt their offerings to cater to leisure travellers, particularly domestic travellers.
How we can help
If you’re considering buying a commercial hotel property, it’s important to speak to someone experienced in the sector to ensure that you are aware of all the funding options available to you. Get in touch to speak to one of our skilled and experienced team. We are always on hand to answer any of your queries regarding commercial mortgages.
