The times are changing within the hospitality industry, like in many other sectors. There have been discussions that the new year will be a big one for the industry.
Regardless of the hospitality business that you run, below are some of the current hospitality trends and those that are upcoming.
Healthy eating becoming firmly mainstream
Restaurants, hotels and bed and breakfasts alike are continuously adopting a healthier menu. This has come to the extent of branded ‘healthy’ establishments no longer need to market themselves that way.
There has been a rise in the disappearance of vending machines that serve junk food and have now been replaced with healthier options such as berries, quinoa and yoghurt.
Reputation management on a new scale
Online reputation management hasn’t quelled either – its importance has essentially become more dynamic as a result of the growth of platforms beyond TripAdvisor that avid travellers use to share their hotel experiences.
Hotels are urged to be aware of the following social networking platforms during their attempts to influence the conversations about their establishment online.
- Expedia
- Facebook
- Yahoo
- Yelp
Hotel booking systems
A recent study conducted by Eviivo involving 500 individuals across the UK and Ireland has found that 74% of the 500 were less likely to make a booking with B&B or hotel which was without a website. Additionally, 68% argued that the website would need to be a good one as they would be put off by a poor site.
Continuing with the statistics, 73% had made most, if not all, bookings online in comparison the measley 5% who do not book online at all.
The above findings are point towards why a decent hotel booking system is a must.
Technology dominance
We know technology is advancing, thus why we should instill the idea that customers will now expect seamless experiences across all devices and platforms.
Many large hotel chains are now allowing check-ins on mobile phones – technology innovation hasn’t been more important for the hospitality industry than ever.
Working in the hospitality industry will see many changes as we progress. See the latest hospitality jobs in the UK here.