Market Trends

📚 At the EHL HumanX Summit in Lausanne, Alina Hernandez, founder of the Wellness Innovation Hub, discussed experience design with Simone Puorto. Hernandez emphasized designing experiences for users before constructing buildings to avoid costly retrofits. She advocates co-creation with stakeholders and employees to meet evolving needs in a fast-paced digital world. Hernandez highlights that personalization should be based on actual guest input rather than assumptions, using technology to gather insights. She stresses designing wellness as a holistic state encompassing physical, mental, and emotional aspects.

📚 June 15, 2026, Paris: SOCIETIES Magazine by Influence Society unveils its May-August 2026 issue on "The New Language of Luxury," highlighting a shift towards intentional experiences and emotional depth. The sixth edition examines luxury's evolution in hospitality, architecture, design, and travel. Features include Thailand's restaurant scene and Malaysia's railway dining, emphasizing sound, lighting, and atmosphere. The issue explores changing luxury hotel pricing dynamics and the broader ecosystem, noting the growing importance of storytelling and experience design.

📣 Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore, features a dramatic waterfall creating a natural soundtrack for guests. Aman Tokyo, located in a bustling city, provides tranquility through minimalist design and controlled acoustics. The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, integrates ocean waves and tropical breezes into its open-air architecture. These hotels utilize strategic soundscapes, such as waterfalls, ocean sounds, and rustling leaves, to influence guest experiences, mask urban noise, and enhance relaxation.

📈 Jun 15, 2026, at WiT Japan, Booking.com highlighted a trust gap in AI bookings. According to their Global AI Sentiment Report, 91% of 37,000 global respondents are excited about AI, but only 6% fully trust it for booking. In Asia Pacific, enthusiasm is 95%, but trust is just 8%. Japan shows excitement at 91%, but low booking trust due to privacy concerns. Booking.com is pacing improvements, focusing on accuracy to build trust over time.

🌎 Germany's travel spending reached a record €76.3 billion in 2025, marking a 5% increase despite two years of GDP decline and geopolitical challenges. The surge redirected travelers from the Middle East to Southern Europe. Phocuswright's report anticipates a 4% annual growth rate post-conflict stabilization, analyzing growth drivers and potential vulnerabilities for 2026.