Hospitality

As we wrap up 2018, our latest Skift Research report dives into what went well this year and what we can expect heading into 2019. Looking ahead, we expect another strong year of economic growth, with a few different puts and takes, which should translate well for the travel industry.

After selling a majority stake in its owned and leased hotel business, AccorHotels is now a lean, mean, acquisition machine. We break down what going asset-light means for AccorHotels and offer ways to measure the success of its M&A strategy, as the company continues on its journey to becoming an all-in-one travel experience platform.

Along with marketers’ heavy investment in digital, the quality of digital advertising continues to improve with more advanced targeting and measurement capabilities. Optimized marketing success requires the right media mix and the right types of technology.

Airbnb continues to revolutionize the accommodation bookings industry while disrupting other sectors like tours and activities, restaurant reservations, and more. As the company heads towards a potential IPO, we tackle some of the key hurdles in its way including increasing regulation, impacts to housing markets, and its evolving role in both hospitality and distribution.

The India outbound travel market is poised to boom in a matter of years. The global travel industry needs to make itself aware of this market and why it matters now, so they’re not scrambling to catch up later.

Two years have passed since Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood, but the integration efforts continue on. The success of the Sheraton brand turnaround and the merging of the loyalty programs is critically important and could mean millions of incremental fee revenue for the combined company.

Mobile has become a key component of the in-destination experience for U.S. travelers today. From finding things to do, to spontaneous bookings, mobile apps and websites have a role to play at each part of the in-destination journey. Travel brands that can find a meaningful place in this mobile journey have a lot to gain.

In today’s environment, hoteliers can no longer sit idly by, complacent with the tech systems and hardware that they have been using for decades. Those that focus on tech in terms of the overall customer journey will not only delight guests, but also outpace competitors in sales and ROI.

For all the growth and enhancements we have seen in hotel loyalty programs over the past few years, differing opinions among consumers and hotel owners with regards to the overall value and success of programs remain. Clearly, the road to fostering real consumer loyalty will be a challenging one. Hotel companies should ultimately focus on driving satisfaction and providing the best service so consumers choose their brand over others and recommend it to friends and family.

The relative spending power of affluent Americans makes them an attractive and strategic group for travel brands to target. The results of our second annual U.S. Affluent Traveler Survey help us understand key trends when it comes to their travel preferences, attitudes, and behaviors. Segmenting further by other characteristics allows us to create a more refined consumer portrait of such a lucrative, complex, and diverse group.

At the end of the day, it’s all about hospitality, but the vacation rental industry faces unique challenges in delivering on that promise. Technology will be key to providing an elevated guest experience across this fragmented market.

The hospitality industry is evolving rapidly, with brands shifting to asset light and consolidating, soft brands and non-branded operators growing steadily, and the distribution landscape becoming increasingly competitive. Nevertheless, hotel owners stand to gain if they focus on acquiring and developing the right real estate, choosing the appropriate franchisors, managers, and partners, running their properties efficiently and effectively, remaining innovative and thoughtful, and maintaining that ever-needed hospitality factor.