Top five leisure trends for hotels

THERE is no doubt that global leisure travel has been on the increase over the past decade and there are no signs of slow down. According to howmuch.net, the five countries that spend the most on #travel are China ($164.9 billion), the US ($145.7 billion), Germany ($106.6 billion), the UK ($79.9 billion) and France ($59.4 billion). Independent hotels are fantastically placed to capitalise on some of the hottest leisure trends. Below we review the top five trends that independent hotels should be considered as they develop their sales and marketing plans.

1. “Bleisure”: With the frequency of business trips increasing, corporate travellers have had enough to being stuck in the endless cycle of the hotel to office and back to the hotel. More and more, we are seeing corporate guests opting to extend their business trips by adding on some time for leisure.

2. Millennials: This demographic is causing titanic shifts in all industries, so of course, they are also changing the very nature of leisure travel. Contrary to popular belief, according to a new report by Merrill Edge, millennials are saving money, with 81% say they are more likely to spend that money on travel.

3. The quest for new experiences: The World Travel & Tourism Council reported that the countries showing the strongest international travel and tourism growth in 2017 were: Myanmar, Sudan, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Sao Tome & Principe and Sri Lanka. These are probably not the places that came to mind immediately when you were planning your last holiday but, it’s crucial to remember that a key driver of today’s leisure travel is travellers looking for adventure and new experiences.

4. Female travellers: Forbes reports that women account for 80% of purchases related to travel and tourism. From deciding on the place to visit and why type of holiday to booking the tickets and reserving the hotel and restaurants, women are making these decisions.

5. Responsible travel: The United Nations designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation, said, “This is a unique opportunity to advance the contribution of the tourism sector to the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental while raising awareness of the true dimensions of a sector which is often undervalued.”

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