Sabre has released another megatrends report, this time looking at what hotels can learn from consumer behaviour in Asia-Pacific.
It commissioned TrendWatching, a global consumer insights business, to carry out the research.
Of the four consumer trends identified, "ubitech" is the most relevant in APAC, a region which "lives and breathes technology." Hotels should think about how best to make sure their communications with guests are informative without being intrusive. Tapping in to the recent advances in AI, natural language processing and gesture recognition can ensure that hotels are talking to guests in the most appropriate way.
"Infolust" is another tech-focused trend, relating specifically to consumers' desire to be kept informed. Review sites are part of this wider quest for knowledge, but targeted notifications and alerts also feed this need. Messaging apps are an ideal way to keep the consumer informed but, again, consumers are dictating how and where this conversation takes place.
"The information that cuts through all that noise will speak the language of customers: fast and informal, but also more effective and easier to absorb and act on," the study says.
"Live like a local" has been re-angled for the report as "local love", flipping the focus from the visitor to the host, with hotels advised to become ambassadors for their location and become somewhere for "locals and foreign travellers to mingle, interact, exchange cultures and share experiences."
Finally, the wider trend of "betterment" is gaining momentum across APAC as consumers define "various self-improvement goals" and will appreciate brands who help them achieve these goals.
Travel is part of the betterment trend, although the report notes that some betterment activities are relatively expensive (or perceived as such). But brands can double up on consumer goodwill by not only marketing their products in terms of self-improvement but also by offering discounts on these products.
Click here to access the page from where the trends study can be downloaded.