Six hospitality trends to watch out in 2023

As Indian hospitality industry keeps on rolling post-COVID, it will further usher in varied trends and enticing tourists to explore more and more new destinations, opines Parveen Chander, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, IHCL.

If there is one industry that is evergreen, it is the travel and hospitality industry. Known for being dynamic and constantly evolving to meet customer requirements, travel and hospitality is a sector that is known for its adaptability and flexibility. Over the last couple of years, the sector has witnessed immense growth, with even the government focusing on developing the sector further, to position India as a leading global tourism destination.

And while the COVID was definitely an unprecedented crisis that impacted the industry significantly, the sector’s resilience and fortitude has seen it not just recover but thrive inspite of the challenges. Considered a sunrise industry, the sector shows a huge potential for manifold growth in the future. With pre-COVID times seeing a contribution of 9.3 per cent and over 8 per cent to the overall Indian GDP and total employment, respectively, there is no doubt about the sector’s key role in driving economic growth.

As we wind up this post-COVID year with intense vigor and enthusiasm, a new set of trends and forecasts for 2023 are emerging on the horizon, which will further carve the future of new age travel in coming times.

BLEISURE STRIKES CHORD

From the latest technology to seamless connectivity to creating contemporary spaces that allow guests to mix work and pleasure effortlessly, the future of hospitality will expand to accommodate the new era of bleisure travelers.

And this will not be limited to just services but also extend to the experiences being offered. New age remote working travelers are increasingly looking to balance work and play, and looking to connect with like-minded peers and build a community on the go, which facilitates the exchange of ideas, building of human capital and drives collaboration on a global scale. Hospitality brands can tap into this requirement to create spaces that inspire the perfect combination of business with leisure.

DRIVING VACATIONS PREFERRED

What began as a requirement induced by the need for safety and isolation during COVID, today has become a trend that is not just limited to youngsters. Road trips or driving vacations or drivecations, as they are popularly known, have become go-to choices for travelers of all age groups in recent times.

For hospitality brands, the rising demand for driving holidays provides an opportunity to not only curate all-encompassing offerings to address multiple aspects of a driving holiday—be it from discovery to booking to check-out phase, but also expand presence in otherwise unexplored destinations that are easily accessible by road, thereby tapping into the niche tourism potential of India.

BOOMING: BOUTIQUE HOTELS

Authentic and immersive—these are the two new keywords on the block when it comes to the travel and hospitality industry. Today, customers are more discerning than ever and looking for experiences that bring alive the spirit of the destination besides the ordinary and even more importantly, as exclusive.

This has led to a rise in boutique hotels and homestays, which do not adhere to any specific cookie-cutter brand standards and instead, boast of a distinct identity and character of their own. From charming homestays, which are designed along the local heritage and culture, to boutique hotels with offerings that are inherent to the destination, quaint is definitely the new cute when it comes to topping travelers’ lists in recent times.

FAMILY VACATIONS GROWING

Nowadays, an increasing number of people are looking to travel with family that is not just limited to any particular generation but instead includes multiple generations across the family. With the baby boomer generation retiring in large numbers and with their larger propensity to spend, a significant number of boomers are looking to spend time with family. This combined with millennials with their penchant to travel and the desires of their generational predecessors, more families are choosing to vacation together.

For brands, multi-generational travel opens the doors to exploring creative ways to attract and engage with multi-generational groups. From specialized packages and incentives to unique amenities, flexible styles of accommodation and experiences catering to different groups within the family, the opportunities are endless.

SUSTAINABLE: A WAY FORWARD

Sustainable travel has become a growing trend, with more and more travelers looking to not only reduce their own travel carbon footprint but also to travel with brands with sustainability forming their core foundation.

For hospitality brands, the rise of sustainable tourism not only encourage them to adopt greener, cleaner business practices in line with travelers’ expectations but further inspires brands to adopt measures that make their businesses truly sustainable from the core. After all, the true need-of-the-hour is to build a tourism sector that is climate resilient.

WELLNESS TOURISM ADVANCING

Of the many transformations that travel has gone through, one that holds much credence is its ability to transcend the ordinary to address alternate customer requirements. Today, even more than ever, the wellness and the rejuvenation of body, mind and soul has become a key focus area for all, including travelers.

With the wellness tourism industry slated to grow to US $1098.42 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 8.2 per cent as per reports, the wellness tourism market holds much promise for the travel and hospitality sector. For a country such as India, which is home to Ayurveda, this is an opportunity to combine ancient knowledge and modern medical expertise with the beautiful locales that India has in abundance to create wellness experiences that are truly world class.