With much of the world under a lockdown right now, the travel industry as a whole is experiencing something unprecedented. This includes hotels of all sizes, although boutique hotels may have an advantage going forward. Unprecedented occurrences often spur innovation, and the one we’re dealing with today is slated to change the way people see travel. For boutique hoteliers around the world, that means getting ahead of those changes and using them to their advantage. A few expected changes you can prepare for are:

  • Cleanliness as a top priority – While cleanliness has always been important to travelers of all walks of life, it’s never been more important than it is right now. Customers will look at cleanliness a bit differently and prefer a sanitized room over one that only looks tidy on the surface. Prioritize marketing your cleaning protocol, and show just how sanitized your rooms are to guests using your website, social media pages, and other platforms.
  • Travelers are likely to feel safer at hotels than independent rentals – Because hotels are more likely to follow strict cleaning standards, travelers are expected to feel safer and more comfortable staying at hotels rather than independent property rentals. Whether traveling for business or leisure, they’re going to seek out peace of mind over convenience, price, or location. This can be a huge advantage for boutique hoteliers in areas that feature a number of private travel rental properties because chances are that travelers will skip Airbnb lodging in favor of a hotel room.
  • Targeting faraway visitors – With airline prices expected to drop for at least a short period, boutique hoteliers who primarily focus their marketing on local customers may want to branch out. Lower airline prices are expected to lure travelers into traveling farther once the lockdown measures are lifted, leading hoteliers to expect more guests from faraway places than they may be used to.

While we at OccupancySolutions.com can’t definitely know what travel will look like after global lockdowns are lifted, we can look at projections to prepare for when traveling resumes. If you’re looking to stay ahead of the latest travel trends, contact us at OccupancySolutions.com today.