1. The Future of Hospitality
An Updated View of the Key Emerging Trends
September 2019

2. Purpose of Document
This is an updated view of the future changes that will impact hotels and the
wider hospitality sector. It shares insights from the Future Agenda network.
Contents:
• Major Change Underway
• 2020 Foresight
• Emerging Hospitality Trends
• Further Exploration

3. MAJOR CHANGE UNDERWAY

4. Challenge and Opportunity
As business models are challenged, new brands extend their reach and
demographic shifts impact, many are seeing major change underway.

5. Looking Ahead
With major expansion in new markets, wider adoption of new technologies and
changing customer expectations, significant transformation is on the horizon.

6. 2020 FORESIGHT

7. Perspectives from 2013
In 2013, to help stimulate wider debate, and in partnership with IHG, Future
Agenda shared views on 40 emerging trends for the future of hospitality in 2020

8. What Was Anticipated Correctly
A number of the future views from 2013 have proven to be accurate
and can already be seen to be impacting the hospitality mainstream.
Assisted Living
Multi-party Travel
Dynamic Pricing
Self-configured Travel
Gambling Vacations
Medical Tourism
Older Employees
Water Management
Female Centricity
Eating Well

19. EMERGING HOSPITALITY TRENDS

20. 2013 Views Still Emerging
Some emerging trends from the 2013 research are yet to become dominant.
They are still evolving in different areas, but are set to have wider impact shortly.
Personalised Environments
Multiple Identities
Responsible Tourism
New Forms of Ownership
Augmented Reality
Eastern Centricity
Waste Reuse
Smart Buildings
Flexible Spaces
Meaningful Employment

31. 20 Additional Perspectives
From recent discussions in and around the sector, we see additional trends
emerging which may well have wider potential impact over the next decade.
From Experience to Adventure
Chinese Super-Apps
Flexible Formats
Algorithms and Analysis
Automated Service
Integrated Efficiency
Facial Recognition
Accessing the Inaccessible
Not Travelling
Anti-Tourism
Flight Shame
Communities of the Moment
Reclaiming Car Parks
Engineering Serendipity
Rising Cyber Security
Positive Local Impact
Adaptable Spaces
Inclusive Rural Locations
Immersive Virtual Reality
No More Kitchens

32. From Experience to Adventure
Millennial and Gen Z travelers are looking beyond curated experiences toward
exotic locations, self-guided, less-planned and personally enriching adventures.

33. Chinese Super-Apps
Chinese conglomerates accelerate their impact across the hospitality ecosystem.
Most Chinese bookings are made via mobile: Ctrip will be the WeChat of travel.

34. Flexible Formats
Many brands are adopting increasingly flexible modular format options.
More specific propositions and experiences are tailored to niche markets.

35. Algorithms and Analytics
While legacy brands are locked into old room-centric systems, newer hotel
chains leverage cloud data with AI and BI to make better use of all their assets.

36. Automated Hospitality
Automation is progressively embedded within hospitality. Robots providing
guest support are the most visible, but behind the scenes use will be pivotal.

37. Integrated Efficiency
New technology impacts hotel operations. Employee tasks change, buildings
become more connected and hotels are increasingly ‘intelligent’ destinations.

38. Facial Recognition
Facial recognition tech is already dominant in fashion retail and fast-growing in
transport. Its use for ‘friction-less’ interaction in hospitality is set to accelerate.

39. Accessing the Inaccessible
Space tourism, deep sea exploration plus a rising interest in Antarctica and other
remote locations drive more to seek to access the previously inaccessible.

40. Not Travelling
Vastly improved video conferencing, growing environmental concerns and a
re-evaluation of personal time all align to reduce non-critical business travel.

41. Flight Shame
More cultures feel guilty travelling by plane for long distance vacations.
Brands rethink travel options, looking for local, low-carbon alternatives.

42. Anti-Tourism
The push back against tourism spreads from notable overcrowded centres to
become a movement linking political, environmental and social concerns.

43. Communities of the Moment
Greater local integration, more connected guests and the desire for purposeful
interaction drive a rise in curated temporary communities of shared interest.

44. Reclaiming Car Parks
The growth in ‘Mobility as a Service’ and self-driving cars frees up vast tracts
of car parking for new venue development at major transportation hubs.

45. Engineering Serendipity
Venues seek to enable surprise connections within unexpected spaces. They
provide zones for de-connection from the core – sanctuaries within an event.

46. Rising Cyber Security
More frequent, larger hacks, sophisticated cyber threats and more devices raise
anxiety about connecting to networks. Virtual security is as pivotal as physical.

47. Positive Local Impact
As well as economic benefit, events are expected to provide positive local
environmental and social impact –they are judged on the success of this.

48. Adaptable Spaces
Venues adopt the latest flexible, automated options for fast reconfiguration.
Event planners embrace adaptable spaces to give clients multiple experiences.

49. Inclusive Rural Locations
Corporate customers increasingly prefer the financial and social value of
all-inclusive residential campus sites in memorable locations outside the city.

50. Immersive Virtual Reality
The evolution of VR / AR enable many experiences to move to virtual platforms.
These become more immersive and personalized than traditional options.

51. No More Kitchens
The ubiquity of online food delivery with vast ghost kitchens and the growing
desire to support local restaurants mean hotel kitchens are no longer needed.

52. FURTHER EXPLORATION

53. Further Exploration
Over the next twelve months we will be running a number of expert foresight
workshops around the world. Hosted by different hospitality brands, these will
further explore, enrich and detail the key drivers of change impacting the sector.

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