More space, remote locations, full kitchens, clean surfaces, contactless check-in - today's travelers have unique needs when it comes to lodging.
Do short term rentals have an advantage? How can hotels position their benefits and compete?
As the lines between the two blur, how do you capture the customer who wants the best of both, especially against the background of a travel sector clawing its way slowly out of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alternative accommodation may have notched up a considerable headstart over hotels in mid 2020, when lockdown restrictions began to ease around the world - but no-one is saying that the momentum for the sector is likely to continue in the long term over traditional forms of hospitality.
This means that both forms either find a way to co-exist and go head-to-head for consumer eyeballs online, or both parts of the accommodation evolve to become more like one another.
This may entail elements of standardization for rentals, or becoming more appealing to nomads, Gen Z and others for hotels.
A group of executives representing both sides of the accommodation business convened for a discussion about all the above issues and more during The Phocuswright Conference 2021.
The panel features:
- Noah Brodsky, president of Travel + Leisure Group and chief brand officer at Travel + Leisure Co.
- Vered Raviv Schwarz, president and chief operating officer at Guesty
- Sam Shank, CEO at HotelTonight and head of guest experiences at Airbnb
- Chris Silcock, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Hilton Worldwide
The full discussion with Phocuswright's Lorraine Sileo is included below...
Exec. Roundtable: Hotels and Rentals - Divide, Conquer or Converge? - The Phocuswright Conference