Briefing: Guest experience is better with latest tech

In a new report from Zebra Technologies, 66% of hospitality guests said that they have a better experience when hotels use the latest technology. Mobile phones and location technology are at the forefront of technology developments in hotels. Smart phone uses range from unlocking rooms, to receiving text notifications about room readiness, to receiving location based offers. The report found that 40% of guests currently use hotel apps and 70% of guests want to use technology to speed up the service they receive.

In these videos four experts discuss upgrading experience with technology:

For a long-time, hospitality businesses have been seeking to create more personalised experiences for guests through technology. The results of Zebra’s 2016 Hospitality Vision Study suggests that guests today are interested in receiving personalised treatment across the room, entertainment, and concierge elements of their stay. 86% say they are interested in having a room selected based on personal preferences such as room/window location and bed configuration. 81% say they would like to receive a personalised list of restaurants/ activities and directions, and 70% say they would be interested in receiving location based coupons and specials.

Hotels are starting to look at what they can do when they have the ability to track their guests’ locations. 74% of surveyed hotels/resorts are planning to implement location-based technologies within the next year. They would be able to track a location when the guest has a hotel app on their phone that they give permission to access their location data – in the same way that a map app uses the phones location to show a route. Then the hotel can send messages and offers that are more relevant to the guest at the time, and would know whether the guest is inside the hotel or out-and-about.”

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Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Corporate travel demand is growing

According to Reuters, spending on business travel in Western Europe is expected to rise by over 6% in 2016. This is good news for serviced apartments and extended stay products, which see a lot of demand from this sector.

A report from the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers states that UK businesses registered an 86% increase in the use of serviced apartments in recent years. They also say that Booking.com is experiencing strong growth demand for serviced apartments.

These videos discuss corporate travel and serviced apartment demand:

A report by Accura Media Group found that four out of ten business travellers surveyed said they will travel more in 2016 than last year, while more than half say they will travel more than they did two years ago.

According to Reuters, Germany is the largest business travel market in western Europe at an estimated $57.9 billion, and spending is set to rise 9.5 percent in 2016.

In contrast a new report from the Global Business Travel Association found that business travel volume growth in US is slowing in 2016 due to global uncertainties, but the report still says there are reasons to be optimistic for 2017.

Association of Serviced Apartment Providers found that occupancy figure for serviced apartment across the whole of the UK were high. London was at 84% and the rest of the UK just slightly lower at 83.1%.

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Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Understanding Millennial priorities

The latest research on millennials from Choice Hotels found that 33% of Millennials would put off buying a home to take a dream vacation.

Holidays remain as desirable as ever. Particularly for this young generation where an opportunity to have a new experience can take priority over other areas of life. The study also found that 12% of Millennials have quit their job to take a vacation or go to an event such as a concert.

In these videos four experts discuss the behavior of Millennial travellers:

Choice Hotel’s study Uncovering the Millennial Mindset looked into the behaviours and priorities that Millennials have when taking a holiday. The survey polled 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18-65 between September 30 – October 3, 2015.

It highlighted some differences between a Millennial at home and a Millennial on holiday, finding that 27% of Millennials have stayed in a hotel to impress someone and 79% of Millennials say they are more adventurous about eating and drinking when travelling.

The industry has had to drastically change to cater to emerging distribution methods. But tradition has not been shunned altogether, with 35% of Millennials will still turn to the friendly help of a travel agent to make their decision.

Not all the generational shifts are as drastic as the move to online research and booking. The study also found that 61% of Millennials carry hand sanitizer when travelling—more than any other generation. And 30% of Millennials keep earbuds in their ears when travelling so people don’t talk to them.

The study highlights the Millennials appreciation for instant rewards. It states that 69% of Millennials see freebies (such as snacks/sandwiches/to-go breakfast) as more important than opportunities for increased loyalty or reward points. And 43% of Millennials believe that if you do sign up to a rewards program you should receive your first benefit straight away.

Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Learning to evolve is key to success

In a survey by Gap International, 34% of executives ranked Mind-set/Attitude as the most important attribute for the success of great business leaders.  31% ranked People Skills/Team Building as most important, while only 15% rank Industry Experience this way.

In an industry that is constantly evolving, no one can expect that the same skills will always see them to success. Having an organisation that embraces change is the key to making progress. Leaders need to be open to new ideas and be willing to take the time to learn about new developments.

Our experts discuss growth and evolution in a changing world:

The way leaders deal with change and growth is very important as it can directly affect the attitudes and performance of employees within the organisation. A report by Towers Watson found that communication in an organisation going through change can be 6% worse than in an average company, whilst a high performing company could be 16% above average, making a 24% difference between the two. Company image can fall down by a massive 14% and empowerment can go down by 6%.

The study also found that a preference for change amongst employees can increase their engagement at work. The report found that among employees who prefer change 57% were engaged, while among those who preferred stability, only 19% prefer change.

So a positive attitudes toward change across the board can keep companies moving forward with the changes that are happening around them.

The Gap international study, surveyed 301 senior executives at companies in the United States with revenues of $1 billion or more.

The Towers Watson 2014 Global Workforce Study surveyed more than 32,000 employees across a range of industries in 26 markets around the world.

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Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: CEOs seek skills for the future

According to PwC’s 18th Annual Global Survey, 61% of CEOs see more opportunities today than three years ago and 59% see more threats. We live in a dynamic world, business is being shaken up over and over again, but there are many ways in which business leaders can give innovation a place to shine in their organisations.

In this briefing four hospitality experts suggest that open-mindedness, flexibility, and investing in the right talent is key to success in an ever-changing world:

PwC’s survey of 1,322 CEO’s in 77 countries, found that 60% of CEOs are concerned about shifts in consumer spending and behaviours. A shift is certainly evident in the world of hospitality.

Having the right people in your organisation to be able to make the changes demanded by today’s consumer is important. It is also challenging. In PwC’s survey 73% of CEOs stated that they are concerned about the availability of key skills. This worry has been growing over the past years. According to PwC’s Global entertainment and media outlook 2014–2018, only 46% of CEOs had this concern in 2009. In 2010 this tipped over to 51% and by 2014 was at 63%.

The Being Digital Workforce Report from Accenture looks more closely at digital skills in organisations. It found that 44% of business leaders say a lack of digital skills is a key barrier to transformation. It also found that 49% of business leaders have a strategy for the management and development of skills and talent in a digital world, which means that just over half of leaders have yet to prepare for this need.

Digital technology itself is being more keenly embraced. In PwC’s survey 80% of CEOs said that mobile technologies and data analytics are key strands of their strategy.

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Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: The urban planning revolution

Modern developers and investors are thinking about urban space differently. Mixed-use builds are maximising space in cities, and some hospitality companies are doubling up assets in new projects.

In Manchester, proposals have been made for a new “community” on the site of the old ITV studios. This will have 2-3 new hotels, including an event hotel called Manchester Grande. Nearby, Cycas Hospitality is planning to open two IHG hotels, a Crowne Plaza hotel and a Staybridge Suites, in The University of Manchester‘s campus development.

Our experts give their perspectives on new developments:

The St John’s community development in Manchester is being planned by Allied London, who now have control of the former ITV/Granada studios site. They have also proposed plans for a ‘vertical village consisting of 1,200 homes within six interconnected towers.’ This would be built on a separate area of former ITV owned land.

The University of Manchester‘s campus development is a £1billion project. The Crowne Plaza business hotel and the Staybridge Suites extended stay accommodation will adjoin Manchester Business School’s new two-storey Executive Education Centre. The hotels will serve university visitors and business travellers.

These large scale projects reflect the developments in Stratford for the 2012 Olympics, where IHG also placed two asset classes together; Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites.

Mixed-use projects and new “communities” are being developed across the globe, often in high rise buildings when space is tight. In Dubai a new ‘Cayan Cantara’ development by Cyan Group will have two towers and an adjoining bridge. The project includes branded residences, hotel apartments, shops, and a spa.

These clever developments will continue to offer hotels, serviced apartments, and other asset classes more and more different ways to fit into the changing urban landscape.

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Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Routes to a successful hospitality career

The Guardian has ranked the University of Surrey no1 for hospitality courses in the UK, with a satisfaction score of 93.1%. Traditionally hoteliers start at the bottom of the ladder and work their way up, learning on the job. Today, Surrey is just one of many universities that are offering aspiring hospitality professionals a chance to learn before starting their career path with the company that’s right for them. Many hospitality brands also have programmes to train young people and graduates into the industry.

In these videos our experts discuss learning and development, and finding career success:

Many young people in the UK will be heading to university come September, some to hospitality courses, and they will have plenty of choice as to where they can study.

Surry gained top rank within the hospitality, event management & tourism subject area, from the Guardian newspaper. 93.1% of final year students who completed the National Student Survey were satisfied with the course and 68% had a job in the area or were in higher education after 6 months. Other top universities for hospitality include Coventry, Robert Gordon, Oxford Brooks, and Derby, which had top place in last year’s ranking.

Some students may venture further afield to the top ranking universities on an international level. École Hotelière de Lausanne won best hospitality management school 2014 at the Worldwide Hospitality awards. This Swiss university has been around since 1893.

After university, or in some cases instead of, young people may enter the industry through a programme with a hotel brand.

Hilton is an active graduate recruiter globally, they run formal entry programmes for graduates in Europe and visit key hospitality schools and campus events.

Marriot also has a Leadership Development Program for graduates called Voyage which is available in more than 30 countries.

A great career takes planning and thought, and it can be beneficial to start gaining the experience you need as early as possible. For those who have been in the industry some years there will still be scope for development and much to learn, they should think carefully about their next steps. There is of course no substitute for experience, a passion for the business, and finding the right fit for you.

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Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: UK and Europe expect growth in 2015

A new forecast from PwC suggests that in 2015 the UK could see a 1.6% increase in hotel occupancy (to 78%), a 5.6% gain in RevPAR, and a stabilisation of GDP growth to 2.5%. In wider Europe, 17 out of the 20 cities in PwC’s European Cities Hotel Forecast 2015 and 2016 are expected to enjoy RevPAR growth close to or in excess of 2%.

According to the UK Hotels Forecast 2015 the number of hotel rooms in London will increase 5.3% in 2015, and with the current UK housing shortfall, hospitality is not the only market set for development. The UK real estate market in general has a positive outlook, as reported in the FT advisor, having seen 19.3% returns in 2014, the best since 1988.

In these videos four experts discuss the hospitality and real estate markets in the UK:

In Europe; Dublin, Madrid and London are set to have the highest RevPAR growth at 8.8%, 5.6% and 4.6% respectively. However no significant new supply is expected in Dublin in 2015. Room supply in London stood at 135,000 in 2014 and 7,200 more rooms are expected this year. The London Olympics in 2012 encouraged tourism to the capital city. In 2015 PwC predict that the Rugby World Cup will once again drive demand up in the UK. The forecast also predicts that UK regional rooms supply will increase by 1.7% in 2015, adding 9,000 rooms to the 2014 total of 464,200.

Hoteliers in the UK are recognising this positivity and feeling confident, according to the Hotelier Confidence Index from TripAdvisor. 77% of hoteliers are optimistic about profitability and 48% expect room rates to increase. According to the report UK hoteliers’ highest investment priorities are small scale renovations and online reputation management.

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Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Global employers need to rethink recruitment

A new report from CEB has revealed that 1 in 5 new hires are “bad” or a “regretted decision”. Staff are of vital importance to the success of a business and the recruitment process can be an important factor in the way a new recruit behaves, according to the CEB SHL Global Assessment Trends Report, first published in November 2014. The report states that; ‘New hires who report a positive candidate experience apply 15% more discretionary effort and are 38% more likely to stay with the organisation.’

Does more attention need to be paid to recruitment in hospitality? Our experts give their insight:

Global employers are finding it difficult to find and keep talent. A survey by Towers Watson found that 65% of respondents were experiencing problems attracting ‘top performers’ and 64% had problems attracting ‘high-potential employees’. It also highlights that employee career development could be paid more attention as only, ‘27% say their organisations monitor the effectiveness of their career management programmes.’

According to the research base pay/salary, job security, and career advancement opportunities were the top three things mentioned by employees that attract them to new roles. However when business leaders were surveyed they only ranked job security 7th suggesting that there is a lack of recruitment understanding across employers.

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Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Industry Disruptors Part 2- A focus on Airbnb

Airbnb is an immensely successful hospitality player with products across 190 countries. It has housed 15 million guests in just six years of existence, is already one of the largest market players and has recently updated its look to emphasise its brand concept of ‘belonging’. The business model is an extension of the B&B idea. It is a digital platform that allows people to rent all or part of their houses to other travellers.

Should the hotel industry feel threatened by the sharing economy? What will be the impact of regulation? And what can the industry learn from Airbnb? Answering these questions are:

  • Stephan Balzer, Chief Executive Officer, Red Onion GmbH on a shift in the market that could see hotels close

  • Russell Kett, Chairman – London Office, HVS on the need for careful regulation of new hospitality products

  • Steve Lowy, CEO & Founder, umi Digital on using Airbnb to make purchases

  • Shaun Hinds, Managing Director – International Operations, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality on why Airbnb isn’t a great threat

 

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

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