For the hotel industry, the past year 2020 has been particularly turbulent. Rapid changes were also set in motion by the Corona pandemic in this context. 

However, a number of new trends have also emerged in the hotel industry, which are also of great importance in the current year 2021. These days, hotel guests expect much more than just high-quality hotel furniture and friendly staff. 

 

Hotels in 2021 – These are the trends

This year, however, it is possible to identify not only many novel trends, but also some old familiar ones that have already emerged in the past. However, this in no way means that they should be neglected by hoteliers. 

 

Cleanliness and safety 

The most important factors for successful hotel operations in 2021 will continue to be thorough cleanliness and comprehensive hygiene, which ensure the greatest possible safety for guests. After all, guests can only enjoy their stay without worries if they do not have to fear a possible Corona infection. 

Hotels must therefore take all measures to make the guests’ stay as hygienic as possible. To this end, the measures taken in detail should also be communicated transparently as part of the guest journey. In this way, it can be clearly demonstrated to guests which cleanliness and hygiene standards are practiced in daily hotel operations. 

 

Sustainability

The topic of sustainability has been very present in the hotel industry for quite some time – and this will not change in 2021. However, nowadays it is no longer enough to use a small sticker in the bathroom to indicate that towels should be used several times. 

More and more hotel guests are becoming so-called green travelers, for whom sustainability and environmental protection are top priorities when choosing their hotel. Hotels should therefore definitely look more closely at CO2 avoidance, electromobility, solar energy, environmentally compatible actions and green certifications. 

This automatically has the positive side effect of increasing guest satisfaction by actively helping to protect the environment during their stay. 

 

Personal digitization

Personalization is taking on a particularly high priority in the hotel industry this year. However, this does not necessarily refer to personal face-to-face communication. Rather, the focus is on creating an individual and unique experience for the guest – on both a digital and a personal level. 

This challenge can be mastered through the use of digital tools, such as in-room tablets on which the guest portfolio can be found or an app. Moreover, when it comes to guests who have booked a stay in the past, hoteliers can benefit from the data ideally collected in this context during the next stay. The keyword in this context is: CRM system. In this, individual preferences and wishes of the guest can be clearly recorded, documented and retrieved as needed. 

 

Local and global at the same time

 

In 2021, hoteliers will also have to master the balancing act between local conditions and the continuously advancing globalization. Last year, the worldwide spread of the Corona virus led to the topics of home office and remote work becoming steadily more present in the hotel industry as well. From home, many employees, whether from HR, revenue management or reservations, can work just as productively and efficiently as they can on-site at the hotel. 

In addition, hoteliers should consider that incomes are steadily increasing around the world due to globalization. As a result, people are traveling more frequently and taking longer vacations – after all, it can now be afforded. This development is accompanied at the same time by the challenge – and also the opportunity – that a completely new target group can be addressed with one’s own offer. 

One way of doing this successfully is, for example, to make the hotel’s individual environment tangible. After all, both national and international guests are interested in regional delicacies, city-specific features and local sights. 

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