This is an excerpt from our e-book for the hotel industry, which we have updated with recent data on current industry trends. If you would like to check out the rest of the free content, you will find a link at the bottom of this page to download the full e-book. Enjoy your reading!
In summary:
- Physical and emotional wellbeing is a global trend that is becoming increasingly important, and travellers are no exception: that is why the holistic concept of hotels, health and wellbeing is on the rise.
- We have plenty of options available to help our guests continue their fitness routines during their stay. Keep in mind that there are a number of requirements that athletes will want to meet whether they are at home or on the road. Be sure to check out the fitness trends set out annually by ACSM and find out how they can help your guests enjoy a better experience during their wellness trips.
- Teleworking has become a part of our daily lives. We have observed that certain phenomena, such as bleisure trips and workation stays , will become more and more common in business trips. These trends are widespread among the younger generations of employees, not to mention freelancers or digital nomads.
- Privacy will continue to be one of the main concerns for travellers, not only for reasons of hygiene, but mainly because of its positive influence on our mental health.
How do these trends translate into opportunities for hotel service providers?
- Tracking workout results, on-demand sessions and daily in-room workout proposals are all interesting options for guests who want to continue taking care of their health during their stay at a hotel.
- Workout areas can be as large or as small as your facility allows. Consider incorporating fitness equipment into the rooms as well.
- It might be a good idea to offer personal training sessions or private advice in the fitness room.
- It offers on-demand content on the machines or on the TV in the room.
- Outfit several rooms with the latest in equipment, such as treadmills or bikes, that also offer on-demand content, or install a free weights corner to respond to the current training trend: strength training. Remember: According to the Expedia Group, 70% of wellness travelers are willing to pay extra to enjoy their favorite services and facilities at the hotels of their choice.
- Rely on a reliable technical infrastructure (WiFi instead of wired internet) with enough bandwidth for video conferencing. And don’t forget to inform your future guests!
- Consider offering rooms with extras for bleisure or workation guests , such as a larger desk, writing materials, the ability to reserve a second screen, a printer, an ergonomic chair, healthy grab-and-go food, and other perks like that.
- If you don’t have a dedicated fitness space in your facility, converting two rooms into a small gym is a cost-effective way to improve your offering.
Fitness and wellness trends are constantly evolving, and have taken a radical turn in recent times. Studies suggest that one in five people exercised more during the pandemic than at the beginning.
The number of people exercising at home is expected to increase by 69-72% compared to 2020 levels, with gym workouts rising to closer to 21%.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) estimates that wellness travelers will demand even more wellness-oriented options , activities and experiences , such as hotels and accommodations that promise restful sleep, soundproofing, circadian lighting and air filtration. They will also expect to find physical and fitness activities, healthy foods, and activities that promote emotional well-being and body-mind harmony.
What are wellness travelers looking for today?
- Wellness activities and harmony between body and mind
- Physical activity and fitness
- Restful sleep
- Air filtration
- Healthy food
We are also seeing a rise in the so-called bleisure mentality (an acronym for combining business and leisure ) , which influences everything from the most sought-after destinations among business travelers to the types of accommodation. This means that the resources that bleisure tourists need, both for leisure and business, are also changing.
Bleisure = Business + Leisure
The term bleisure is used to define the combination of business and leisure in one trip. A business trip usually lasts a couple of days, during which travelers visit the city, meet up with family or friends who live in the area, or travel after the business meeting.
Bleisure travel is becoming increasingly popular, especially among millennials and younger generations of employees.
Teleworking has a good chance of becoming established as a new modality in many companies, and this new way of working could alter customer behaviour and their motivations for travelling. We could even see an increase in workation- type stays .
Workation = Work (work) + Vacation (vacation)
The term workation refers to the combination of work and vacation. Unlike bleisure stays, workation stays are usually longer and organized in very different ways, depending on what the company has agreed with the employee.
But the way we exercise has changed, too. ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) highlighted online training, wearable technology , bodyweight exercises, outdoor activities and HIIT training as the top five trends for 2023. However, this has changed in 2024, so hotels will have to catch up.
According to ACSM, the top five trends for 2022 are:
- wearable technology
- home gym
- outdoor activities
- weight training
- exercise to lose weight
It is essential for hotels to be aware of these trends and act accordingly, but the most difficult part will be to materialize them into tangible improvements to enhance the guest experience, and provide adapted services or facilities that exceed the new expectations of their customers.
If you want to discover how to design wellness experiences that delight your guests, help you increase RevPAR and build customer loyalty, download the entire e-book here .
If you need to discuss any of the above options in more detail or translate current fitness and travel trends into an exceptional offer, we are here to help. Our hospitality experts are at your service.