Luxury Travel & Lifestyle Trends

All-inclusive resorts have mostly been reserved for sunny beach locales. Until now. The Four Seasons Denver just announced its first inclusive package, more than hinting that if its popular, this could be the first of many offered at Four Seasons worldwide.

As consumers become the marketers, expect to see more people like you and me: friends, fans and followers greatly influencing purchasing decisions. Consumers are increasingly tapping into their networks of friends, fans, and followers to discover, discuss and purchase goods and services.

“Hotels need to think like media companies” was a major takeaway from a recent Webinar courtesy of ReviewPro and Hotel Marketing Strategies. This means an orientation to content being king in websites and all social media activities. Hoteliers were urged to take what they called a “concierge and service approach” in a three step process coinciding with the three stages of a guest’s stay:

Some luxury hotels are embracing the idea and letting guests rent rooms by the hour, giving hotels the chance to take better advantage of the daytime hours; it promote sampling, and fills up some rooms that would otherwise be vacant. These posh rooms-by-the-hour aren’t just targeted at couples planning a clandestine tryst but also shoppers who want to rest their weary feet, guests in need or a power nap or travelers in search of a quiet place to wait for a late plane or cruise ship boarding.

we’re seeing the an evolution in musical branding: The New York Times reported that Converse (of the sneaker fame) just created a new 5200 square foot recording studio called Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, NY where bands can record for free. As the traditional music industry is in turmoil, new businesses are becoming the new patrons of musicians, the new “rock n’ roll Medicis”, referring to Renaissance art patrons.

Hotels are turning to nature’s bounty as the newest attraction and entertainment: farmers markets. Alain Ducasse was among the first to establish the concept, with his annual Market Day at Paris’ Plaza Athenee (next year will be his third). It’s held in the hotels’ courtyard, it’s intended to be a destination for foodies and gourmets, the market provides access to local purveyors selling everything from butter and cheese to fish, poultry and vegetables. Products are not for sale; the idea for purveyors to display pick-of-the-season produce and provisions and “rejoice in the celebration of sustainable food” they say.

Visual – People everywhere are visual creatures. Imagery is a smart, subliminal way to “sell”. According to the Travel Industry Association, most online reservations are still made from the picture gallery, or one click later. Yet, most guests think their decision was intellectual, not emotional. You want your product to be remembered, so choose colors wisely. One Xerox Corp. study found that color boosted attention spans and recall 82%. With correct imagery, guests will feel like they’ve touched the velvety-soft pillows, smelled the gardenias outside the window and tasted the béarnaise sauce on the juicy steaks. Voila! They have bonded with your product. Images that convey cold facts aren’t nearly as compelling.

Speaking to the New York Times, “Standing apart on an attraction other than price is important,” said Leonard M. Lodish, vice dean of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. “If competitors continually undercut each other’s prices, it’s a race to the bottom,” he said.

Omni Hotels is taking its sensory branding to the next level by making a lasting emotional impression on guests with customized scents “based on the destination’s particular ambiance” which they refer to as the ‘local color’ experience that they’re looking to create for each hotel.

A recent online survey of spa professionals conducted by KWE group revealed some interesting trends and opportunities: