A new year around the corner provides the perfect opportunity for a little reflection on the year that has passed, and it’s been a busy one! We know all too well that finding the time to keep on top of trends throughout the year is almost impossible, which is why we wanted to give you a quick breakdown of the trends we saw in 2018.
From virtual reality to artificial intelligence, from sustainability to health and wellness, view the slideshare below or keep reading to find out all about the trends that we covered over the past year.
1. Is VR a reality for hospitality?
Virtual Reality may bring to mind dark rooms and video games, but the applications to the hospitality industry are very real, and it looks like this trend may be sticking around well into 2019 and beyond.
2. Accessible hospitality for all
Accessibility has been a hot topic in 2018, with hotels, serviced apartments, restaurants, activity providers and others that fall under the hospitality umbrella discussing it widely. We’re expecting this to be an initiative that companies throughout the hospitality industry implement in their websites and premises in coming years.
3. How sustainable are you?
We weren’t surprised to find that discussions around sustainability were widespread through the hospitality industry this year, with efforts to do away with single use plastics sweeping the globe. But, as we noticed, single used plastics are only the tip of the quickly-melting iceberg.
4. GDPR compliance for hospitality
Whether it took the form of the EU’s GDPR, or South Africa’s POPI, personal information acts were definitely high on many hospitality professionals’ priority lists, and we made ensuring companies were compliant a little bit easier with our trend digest on the subject (and with our own GDPR genie).
5. Self-service tech in hotels
Thanks to the wonders of the internet and mobile connectivity, guests are feeling connected wherever they go, and are often looking for ways to take control of their trips into their own hands. This makes balancing self-service options like check-in apps and a personal touch more important than ever.
6. Serving A Growing Market With Serviced Apartments
With longer-term stays becoming more common-place, and guests looking for more than just a room when they travel, serviced apartments are finding themselves ideally suited to provide travellers with the space and flexibility that they need.
7. Starting Conversations With Your Guests
The role of hospitality marketers is shifting. Since travellers have a world of information right at their fingertips, rather than simply selling a product, marketers are expected to start, and maintain, conversations and relationships with prospective guests and patrons.
8. Artificial Intelligence in Hospitality
AI is another trend that seems more like science fiction than science fact, and yet it’s a trend that has been talked about a good deal this year in hospitality circles, particularly after LG showed off concept porter and waiter bots at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas at the start of the year.
9. Serving Trends to F&B
Sometimes it can be hard to see the wood for the trees, or the ways that you can make use of the latest technologies and trends in your company. That’s why, in September, we decided to take a step back and look at how some of the trends above can be applied to the food and beverage sector in particular.
10. Health and Wellness in Hospitality
Where gyms and fitness centres were once simply background amenities that properties provided to guests, they have been brought to the fore by travellers who are more focussed on health and wellness than ever before.
