Millennials, technology and green initiatives are playing a significant role in the way hotels are evolving, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
The AHLA just conducted their Lodging Survey with partner STR which assisted in gathering analytics and data in the hospitality sector. The survey assessed hotels and industry trends to see how hotels are advancing guests’ experiences.
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The results of the survey showed that millennials are having a large impact on how hotels are conducting business. Millennials are very community-focused, and hotels recognize this and are starting to create functional shared spaces. Over 10 percent of luxury, upscale and midscale properties have implemented communal rooms with shared living spaces.
Similarly, millennials are a health-conscious group and appreciate convenience which has affected the dining options in hotels. Food alternatives to sit-down experiences like grab-n-go marketplaces or pickup services have increased from 21 percent in 2016 to 31 percent in 2018. Furthermore, higher-priced hotels are more likely to provide healthy meal and vegetarian options than ever before.
“Going green” is another popular trend in the hospitality industry as a whole, according to the report. As of 2018, 25 percent of all U.S. properties had received Green Certification, the gold standard for hotel sustainability. Comparably, only 16 percent of properties had that certification in 2016.
Linen and towel reuse programs are almost universal with 94 to 99 percent of chain hotels and 83 percent of independent hotels offering such programs. About two-thirds of chain properties are using some type of water savings program.
The survey discovered that hotels are increasingly improving their mobile app presence. In 2016, only 35 percent of hotels had mobile apps that guests could use to access hotel services, but it increased to 40 percent in 2018.
Many properties are also changing the way travelers access rooms: with their mobile devices. In 2018, 17 percent offered this feature compared to six percent in 2016. With changes like these, it’s no surprise that mobile check-in is employed in over 80 percent of mid- to high-priced properties.
“The hotel and lodging industry is paving the way in innovation as evidenced by STR’s latest trend survey,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA.
“We continue to be laser-focused on meeting the dynamic and diverse desires of consumers, focusing on service and guest experience, as well as developing and enhancing our properties and workforce.”
