JUST AN OPINION

Seven Top Hotel Marketing Trends for 2022

4. PROFILING STAYCATIONS

3.8% growth expected for British tourism to 2025.

Staycations are, well, here to stay. And while they were for some, initially a necessity, forgoing foreign travel has helped people see the benefits of not having to fly halfway around the world to relax. In fact, people are more open to the idea of holidaying even closer to home - a super-local staycation.

By Clare Bushby, Managing Director, Clockwork Marketing.

1. OUT OF OFFICE: THE WORKATION

21% of employees never want to visit the office again.

A hybrid of remote and office-based working is a significant trend. It is time to profile what your hotel has that makes workations attractive. High-speed internet, comfortable working setups, peaceful rooms, restful surroundings, tempting leisure facilities, and things guests can treat themselves to at both ends of the day are all a must.

2.SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Booking.com’s 2021 report found 83% of travellers think sustainable travel is vital and 61% want to travel more sustainably in the future.

Marketing messages around staying local, reducing carbon miles, your hotel’s eco-friendly ethos, and sustainable practices, are not just the right things to do. They’re also the smart things to do to appeal to new customers.

The full Top Hotel Marketing Trends report can be downloaded at:

www.clock-work.co.uk/ insights 3.TECHNOLOGY-LED EXPERIENCE

80% of consumers have used contactless payments.

The tech revolution is continuing and accelerating. Many guests expect more contactless options with their mobile phones: booking, check-in/out, room keys, communication with staff, table ordering, buying gift vouchers, and payments.

Hotels can work smarter by using automation and integrations to deliver a better branded, more seamless guest experience. AI (Artificial Intelligence) to target consumers with personalised offerings and Intelligent Assistants (Siri, Cortana, Alexa, Google Now) are becoming ubiquitous.

5. SELLING EXPERIENCES

72% of Millennials want to spend on travel experiences (Condor Ferries’ 2020-2021 Statistics & Trends Report).

As wise hotels turned to alternative

Black Friday messages that swerved simple consumerism, successful hospitality firms in 2022 will also tap into the trend of people wanting to buy experiences, not things.

Profiling the experiences guests have, rather than the product your hotel provides, pays dividends. Great copywriting is key as sometimes the nuances in phrasing and messaging are tricky to pin down and even harder to get right.

6.EVERYDAY WELLNESS

177% more spent by wellness tourists than non-wellness tourists.

Living well is the new existence. From seaweed facials to serotonin light therapy, forest bathing to plant-based diets, these are some of the 2022 wellness trends.

Wellness is an ever-increasing part of our lifestyles, and the fabric of tomorrow’s hospitality. Paying attention now, will help you connect with your guests’ changing philosophies, get ahead of your competition, and ultimately turn a profit from wellness.

7. FOR THE LOVE OF WEDDINGS

Only 21% of weddings take place in a church.

Societal changes, the pandemic, and lockdowns have changed the weddings people want. From micro to supersize, sustainable to sequel, inside or out, people are choosing bespoke weddings individual to them and their needs.

With new venues and more places for weddings than ever, venues need to capitalise on new trends to remain competitive and secure the best bookings for 2022-23.