TOP NEWS

🎄 Despite 59% of consumers expecting inflation to impact their holiday spending, average spending is set to rise 7% to $1,638 in the 2024 holiday season. Gen Z and Millennials prioritize sustainable shopping, while Gen X and Baby Boomers opt for convenience. 29% plan to spend less, averaging $776, while 26% will spend more, around $3,076. Millennials lead overall spending, with Gen Z's budget increasing by 59%. Over half (52%) will finish shopping post-Thanksgiving. Gen Z's average spend is $1,752, with 35% increasing their budgets. Holiday travelers in the U.S. (46%) lean towards staying with family/friends, with 56% preferring this to reduce costs. Men are projected to spend 13% more on tech and travel. Tech innovations are key for retailers combating economic pressures, aiming to offer value and personalized experiences.

🌞 Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius, with a history of 45 years, reopens on October 19 after a renovation. The resort makeover includes 185 guest rooms, suites, and revamped restaurants and bars. The redesign pays homage to the local culture with Mauritian weaving techniques, and features restaurants such as TSK, Coco's, Kushi, Safran, and Sega Bar. New experiences include e-bike tours, private Champagne cruises, and wellness treatments at Chi, The Spa. Sustainability efforts are integral to the renovation, reflecting the resort's commitment to environmental protection.

📈 Personalized guest experiences in hospitality can drive profitability and loyalty, with 61% of consumers willing to spend more for such customization. Hotels utilize technology like PMS, CDP, and CRM to collect data and tailor services, boosting guest satisfaction and advocacy. Effective personalization can increase revenue per guest, improve occupancy rates, and encourage direct bookings. Key technologies include advanced PMS, CDPs for unified guest profiles, and CRM for targeted communications. Challenges include data privacy and balancing personalization with guest privacy. Personalization is seen as crucial for the hospitality industry's future success.

💼 Christopher Hunsberger, former executive at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, shares his experience in leading product and service innovation during a significant CEO transition when Izzy Sharp was replaced by Katie Taylor. Entrusted by Taylor, he took on the role to explore future directions for the company, which was already 30 years into its history. Over two or three years, Hunsberger worked with various levels of the organization and consultants to foster a stronger culture of innovation, emphasizing nimbleness, agility, and a willingness to embrace failure for successful risk-taking and collaboration.

🏨 GuestRevu’s final quarter of 2024 is packed with events, starting with the HMA Hotelier Meetup on October 3, including a Masterclass featuring their marketing manager Sarah Came. The Independent Hotel Show London runs from October 15-16 with 200+ industry products and a partnership between GuestRevu and HOSPA. Tech-Tonic, on October 22, features a workshop by their regional sales manager, Amy Brandford. WTM London is from November 5-7, expected to exceed last year's by 7%. The GuestRevu GREAT Awards, in partnership with Stenden University, HOSPA, HotelTime, and HOP, occur on November 6 during WTM. The season ends with HOSPACE on November 14, a leading industry networking event ending with a gala dinner and awards.

🏠 Linsey Gallagher, President and CEO of Visit Napa Valley, reveals how the hospitality industry significantly supports the local economy, with 16,000 families relying on it for livelihood, and visitors spending approximately $2.5 billion annually. Napa Valley welcomes 3.7 million people each year, contributing to $108 million in tax revenue for community services. Local budgets are heavily supported by tourism taxes, with Calistoga receiving nearly 75%, Yountville 65%, and Napa almost 30%. Collaboration between hotels, local businesses, and organizations like Visit Napa Valley is key to enhancing visitor experiences and driving demand.

💳 Martin Soler, co-founder of 10minutes.news, discusses the implications of over-regulation in Europe, affecting the technology and hotel industries. Recent regulatory efforts, like rate-parity and GDPR, have paradoxically made it harder for small companies to grow, ultimately reducing competition. Europe's focus on post-regulation rather than pre-regulation is highlighted as a necessity for fostering innovation. The hospitality industry's slow adoption of payment technologies is criticized, suggesting a need for a guest experience overhaul akin to the transformations seen in companies like Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon. Additionally, the proliferation of hotel brands is deemed non-problematic as long as standards are maintained.

🏨 Marriott is expanding in Caribbean and Latin America, with Costa Rica hosting the most properties after Mexico. The Ritz-Carlton, Nekajui, in Papagayo, Costa Rica will open later this year. Marriott has nearly 500 properties across 25 brands in 37 countries in the region. Upcoming all-inclusive resorts include Almare in Isla Mujeres, and W Punta Cana scheduled for 2024. Marriott aims for growth in high-demand areas, with 600 rooms in Argentina, 1,600+ in Brazil, and 840+ in Colombia. Marriott Bonvoy partnered with Rappi, serving over 20 million users in Latin America.

🚗 EV Connect's 12-month benchmark study of 78 hotel properties showed an average EV charger utilization of 28%, with 73.1% of these hotels offering paid charging services. Monthly session growth rate averaged 3.3%, indicating increasing demand for EV chargers. Additionally, over half of the charging sessions came from new drivers. The top 10% of hotels on the network earned nearly $11,000 per year from charging, significantly contributing to higher revenue per available room rates (revPAR). With 10% of vehicles expected to be electric by 2030, EV charging is becoming essential for hotels to attract guests and increase retention.