Trends that will shape the hospitality industry in 2021 and beyond

Whether hoteliers are betting on the wave of tourism which, according to many forecasts, will follow the vaccine, or whether they are already operational, they must prepare for the future by taking into account new epidemics and pandemics, just as security measures had been adapted following the terrorist attacks of recent years. The most important thing at the moment is to focus on health and wellbeing and to ensure that people feel safe and confident when they return to the hotel, but here are some other trends to consider.

Pervasive contactless technology in the hotel industry

Hotels have long since moved towards automation, with automated check-in systems and keyless rooms, accessible from an app. The pandemic has only increased the importance of these functionalities, which correspond to increased needs for social distancing and avoidance of strangers. Today, travellers can expect greater automation. In fact, Google Assistant has created a welcome application for its Google Nest Hub virtual assistant, deployed this summer in the United States. Amazon's Alexa Assistant was launched in hotels in 2018. Combining a loudspeaker and a tablet-sized screen, the Nest Hub allows guests to ask questions about such things as pool hours, set an alarm and request extra towels or room service without having to pick up the phone. For hotels that have blinds, temperature controllers and lights connected, the Nest Hub allows these to be controlled by voice command. This will not only enhance the experience in the rooms, but also avoid unnecessary contact.

Pop-up and robotic food service points

Not all hotels can offer open-air dining all year round. Nor can their restaurants thrive with the capacity restrictions imposed by the demands of social distancing. The solution: Make the entire hotel a dining area. And integrate robotic servers. This solution is supposed to answer the question of how to rethink the restaurant so that you don't have to eat in just one small place. We could imagine delivery units of different sizes that could keep food hot and drinks cold and provide videos or music for entertainment.

Reusing under-utilised meeting rooms

Hotels should reconfigure their meeting rooms, reception halls and even their event lawns, which are now under-utilised. By following the above idea, you can create spaces around the hotel that are not necessarily located in the restaurant, but can become private dining areas. The idea is to personalise and create a unique experience.

The return of the family

Soon after the situation is brought under control, a wave of family trips can be expected. Family tourism is motivated by the growing importance placed on promoting family cohesion, maintaining family ties and creating family memories, especially in a post-covid world. Forecasts for the future of family travel are influenced by changing demographics and social structures. With global mobility, families are increasingly geographically dispersed and new family markets are emerging. However, many families will find themselves in an unenviable financial situation, and hotels may offer free accommodation for children. Hotels will need to adapt their offer to become family-friendly, with children's corners, board games and welcome kits for example.

Bringing the outside in

Most hotels are already maximising the use of their outdoor areas, where guests can feel more protected from virus transmission, by moving dining tables and fitness activities outside. Travellers may see more greenery indoors, as hotels seek to take advantage of the calming effects of nature. We may see a redesign of spaces such as conference rooms with plants enhanced by digital projections that simulate the natural movement of nature, complemented by air filtration systems that produce cross breezes and ultraviolet light that kills germs. Part of this light is a physical signal that tells people that this indoor space is safe, as research shows the anti-stress effects of observing nature.

Rooms designed for living

Hotel rooms will no longer be just places where you can sleep and take a shower. They will also become multi-purpose sports halls, dining rooms and offices. Of course, travellers already often use rooms for these purposes. The difference lies in the design of the rooms, which will be adapted to these expanded roles. Instead of sitting on the edge of the bed and bending over a trolley table to eat your club sandwich, the most welcoming rooms of the future may have convertible benches or dining areas. Before, room service wasn't so pleasant, but today it's a service that people want and you can design rooms for exceptional dining experiences in your room or on the terrace. Sport will also be more present in the rooms beyond the yoga mat in the wardrobe. For example, some hotels already offer an on-demand fitness service called Mirror, which broadcasts fitness classes on a full-length mirror. You don't need to go downstairs to interact with other people in the fitness centre and wear a mask while you work out.

Sleep remains vital

Healthy sleep is so essential to the hospitality industry that if you can't provide it, nothing else you do properly will really matter. You can offer impeccable service and have a Michelin-starred restaurant, but if the walls are paper-thin and the rooms are noisy, that's what guests will remember, which will reduce their chances of coming back or telling their friends about you in a positive way. High-tech beds could be used to monitor your sleep using sensors in the mattress and pillow and transmit this data for analysis in the morning. If your walls are thin, instead of damaging them - an insurmountable cost - think about noise dampers such as thick carpets, heavy curtains, acoustic insulation in the ceiling, narrower doorways or even absorbent decorative elements such as pictures.

And of course... the highest level of hygiene

Good hygiene in hotels has never been more important. A protocol must be put in place for emergency response in the event of confirmed cases of COVID-19. If an infected person has been in your hotel, it is important that you decontaminate them as a precautionary measure. Hotels will need to put in place new operational measures including regular deep cleaning of soft surfaces such as carpets and upholstery and surfaces that come into frequent contact with guests, such as lift buttons and public toilets. Deep cleaning minimises the risk of spreading pathogens through surfaces, thereby reducing the likelihood of cross-contamination for guests and employees. Manual methods are often the first choice for disinfecting surfaces, but if rapid disinfection of large surfaces is required, Ultra Low Volume (ULV) disinfection misting will reach hard-to-reach areas. Misting can significantly reduce the number of pathogens on surfaces and in the air.