Hip Hotels Consumer Insights

Trend - As COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen worldwide, brands are enticing consumers to start traveling again through new campaigns. These marketing schemes emphasize adventure after many experienced over a year of restlessness.

Insight - As lockdowns lift, many travelers are eager to experience the world again as they plan for their next once-in-a-lifetime trip. These consumers are eager to make lasting memories through novel experiences – especially after a year of mundanity and restriction. Consumers will flock to brands that understand these sentiments and offer experiences that match their desire to escape to somewhere new.

Trend - Luxury travel brands are known to rely on unique activities to attract travelers and, most recently, the emphasis has fallen on science-backed experiences that combine education and wonder. Hotels are partnering up with scientists and experts to deliver involved and collaborative explorations of surrounding nature.

Insight - When going on vacation, contemporary consumers often look for activities that they can enjoy at their destination and much of this search is motivated by curiosity and the need to escape from the mundane. In this space, many are prioritizing activities that will allow them to learn and/or experience something new. This demand is usually driven by a desire to enrich one's life and when this is satisfied, consumers feel inspired and energized.

Trend - As traveling has substantially subsided during the ongoing pandemic, brands in the travel and hotel industry are launching special discounts, contests, and offers for unique experiences in one's vicinity. With features focusing exclusively on wellness, these initiatives are boasting a short-term change of pace for an individual or a small group.

Insight - Due to the government's orders, pertaining to health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have diligently cancelled all non-essential travel plans and remained socially distant at home. As time goes on, consumers are becoming more and more restless in their personal quarters, especially if they share a space with family or roommates. Recognizing that they need a change of pace, many individuals are opting-in for short escapes that are convenient, safe, and nearby.

Trend - Seeking to create more personalized overnight experiences, P2P hotel rentals like Airbnb are expanding their options to include unique, outside-the-box options for guests looking for something a little bit different. Moving beyond just minimalist aesthetics and high-end decor, alternative options are emerging that speak to more kitschy, non-typical overnight stays.

Insight - The growth of the hospitality space has coincided with the growing consumer desire for one-of-a-kind experiences. This desire is fueled by social media's influence on consumers–where the most visually interesting experiences and adventures are able to gain traction among peers. Thus, travel brands that are able to facilitate unique experiences for tourists are able to gain an advantage–particularly among younger demographics.

Trend - Beer brands are going beyond traditional activation experiences by offering highly coveted brand experiences that range from brewery hotels to beer-centric spas. As brands across industry categories look to expand on their presence in the everyday lives of consumers, they are taking cues from the luxury and hospitality industries to appeal to Millennial consumers.

Insight - Millennials are gravitating towards "experiences" as they see them as a life-long investment in their happiness and wellness. Brands are leveraging this interest by offering cross-over products and services that prioritize engaging, luxury experiences. These activations are particularly appealing to those who see these indulgences as a natural extension of their interests.

Trend - Many brands across industries are leveraging transparent domes to enhance their retail spaces. Whether they're used as temporary attractions for pop-ups, or for dining experiences, these domes offer escapist atmospheres for those who visit them.

Insight - Consumers, particularly many Millennials and Gen Z, have grown to put a huge premium on the aesthetic appeal of the experiences they take part in. This shift in priorities has been hugely accelerated by the role of social media in their lives, and in particular, their need to appear impressive to their peers.

Trend - With today’s consumer constantly craving a fully immersive experience, brands are offering nontraditional, underwater activities. Ranging from underwater bars and scuba parties to submerged art exhibits, consumers are being surprised and delighted with all-new experiential offers.

Insight - Consumer expectations around "experiential" activities are constantly growing as interactive, sensory engagement becomes more accessible. Furthermore, these experiences are often available from their homes for free. This creates a need for above-and-beyond out-of-home experiences.

Trend - As the desire for travel and the appeal of escapism continues to rise, fashion brands react with hotel-themed apparel. Whether creating cozy pieces that encourage staycations or presenting luxe lines to reflect 5-star resorts, this new fashion wave targets individuals and families alike.

Insight - Over the last ten years or so, travel has increasingly become an activity that consumers express themselves through and identify with, especially with regard to the luxurious elements of travel. With this has come a desire to bring in those elements of escapism and relaxation into one's daily life as a means of practicing wellness.

Trend - Brands are not simply collaborating with those in the hospitality industry, but rather, they’re creating completely branded overnight experiences of their own. These branded hotels allow retailers to showcase their products and services while creating interactive environments.

Insight - As the ever-growing experience economy accelerates, many consumers—especially Millennials—place a premium on interactive experiences that are memorable, engaging, and immersive. This stems from a desire for more unique activations where individuals can socially interact with the brand and one another, facilitating a type of culture around experience and allowing consumers to feel more comfortable.

Implications - Millennials today are known for their preference to spend on experiences rather than products, and this has impacted and contributed to the popularity of travel among this generation. Layering onto this interest in exploring the world is millennials' interest in self-improvement, which has led to the creation of tailored travel experiences focused around providing a path to wellness as well as a chance to explore the world. This shift speaks to the ways in which wellness has the capacity to impact a huge variety of segments, and the ways in which companies can leverage that interest to create something more appealing to today's young adult consumer.