In a world where hotels can be compared in a matter of seconds, premium establishments no longer rely solely on good service and facilities, but on creating experiences and evoking emotions.
For decades, the answer was clear: location, price, supply and demand. Those who kept their costs under control and positioned themselves clearly in the market came out on top. With the rapid development of AI, the playing field is shifting. Knowledge is available at all times, analyses are automated, and everyone has access to the same data and tools. What must now become a competitive advantage in the hospitality industry is something that has always been at the very heart of its DNA: the ability to curate emotional experiences that linger in guests’ minds. After all, it has been proven that over 80 per cent of our decisions for or against a hotel are emotional: the activation of various areas of the brain, neural connections and the release of dopamine and oxytocin create a »neural party«. And this ensures that we can remember stories 22 times better.
By consciously viewing your hotel as a stage and your guests as the protagonists. Service and offerings shape the narrative – and experiences that appeal to each individual on an emotional, physical, intellectual or even spiritual level. Because one thing is clear: guests no longer simply book rooms these days. They book memories for the scrapbook of their lives. Those who understand the longings of their target audience and weave them into a clear, memorable narrative will succeed in a world where the price and location of a room can be compared at the touch of a button. The new currency of our time, therefore, consists of factors that cannot be scaled, copied or automated. The crucial question is: are you still selling nights? Or are you creating an emotional world that your guests will want to immerse themselves in time and time again?
Studies in hospitality and lifestyle research show that travellers today are looking for places that reflect their values, support their goals and connect them with like-minded people. Successful hoteliers therefore develop their offerings not for markets, but for individual lifestyles. The international experience economy has been successfully leading the way for years: themed restaurants such as the Hard Rock Café, retail concepts such as Niketown, hotels such as Six Senses (transformative rejuvenation experiences), Aman (cultural immersion as a key aspect of the experience), The Hoxton (open house & community hub), and many more.rnrnThey all systematically curate experiences to set themselves apart from the competition and create genuine added value for their guests. Why should the local hotel industry – which, by definition, is a space for experiences – lag behind in this regard?
Those who personalise spaces and services in such a way that they anticipate guests’ needs and preferences make it easy for guests to feel welcome and part of a wider whole. This includes a range of services that goes beyond late check-out. The concept of wellbeing, for example, could evolve from a supplementary offering into a strategic core: through thoughtfully designed environments, medically sound health programmes, and formats that help guests adopt healthy routines for their everyday lives. Those who also focus on partnerships with brands, artists or local initiatives expand this ecosystem and boost their »cultural relevance«. And this has been proven to be six times more successful.
For this to succeed, various disciplines must work together seamlessly: brand and branding, service, experience and product development, atmospheric design and architecture, communication and marketing. Those who take the lead here, with their (target) audience in mind, can orchestrate these moments throughout the entire experience chain – before, during and after the stay – in a way that benefits the guest. So that you can tell a compelling story that is not only remembered but also shared.
Link to the full article on the ÖHV-Website: Vom Zimmer zum Erlebnis – was Gäste wirklich buchen