Author: Jarya Kotyleng

It cannot be denied that COVID has changed life as we know it. At the beginning of 2022, carrying a facemask or a bottle of hand sanitizer is a must. Years from now, procedures established under COVID are also expected to eventually be a regular routine element of our lives. While the strictest hospitality restrictions may be fading away, a few pandemic guidelines will solidify themselves into long-lasting changes in the industry.

Let's consider which trends will probably stay  in a post-pandemic future of hospitality

Contactless solutions will become an absolute necessity

The adoption rate of contactless technology in the hospitality industry exploded after COVID, even though it has existed for a number of years prior to the pandemic. About 45% of hotel customers concur about being more likely for them to stay at a hotel equipped with touchless technology reducing their physical contact with staff, thus prompting a push by hotels to incorporate this technology.

With the new normal emerging, touchless, and interactive digital guest journeys will be mandatory. The guests would demand increased monitoring of their journey through digital services coupled with the convenience offered by services at their fingertips. Clients are already used to seamless check-in and check-out as well as requesting in-house facilities via digital platforms, however, and they will be expecting these process improvements to continue. McKinsey indicated that touch-free enabling technologies that include online/kiosk check-in, guest messaging, convenient keyless entry, online F&B ordering, and workflow/staff engagement tools are set to be around in the next normal.

Integrating real houseplants and bringing in large open windows and skylights throughout will help make the space appear more "breathable." Further adding shades of blue, green or various other earthy colors to these spaces would create a calming feel with an aesthetic appeal as well. Additionally, hotels and restaurants are able to convert their outdoor spaces into outdoor dining areas, rooftop bars, and outdoor lounges.

Bleisure travel will increase

Bleisure guests blend business travel with personal leisure travel, usually prolonging their weekly travel to the weekend to relax and unwind. Occasionally these travelers will bring a friend or partner who is not related to their business. Statista predicts that the overall business travel will grow annually, implying an upsurge in bleisure travel, with Forbes reporting that 10% of all business travel is bleisure travel.

When it comes to hotels, bleisure travelers represent increased concerns and more opportunities. When offering a more customized experience tailored to these travelers, it is important to address the issue of whether all the guests traveling together are going to be working during the week. Otherwise, hoteliers may be able to recommend a few solitary leisure activities for the guests who are not working. Additionally, bleisure travelers typically will prefer laid-back activities on weekday nights and choose a more adventurous approach to activities during the weekend.

Buffets may disappear

At the peak of the pandemic, the majority of countries banned buffet services in all hotels and restaurants. Following the pandemic, BBC indicated that most of the world's hotel chains discontinued breakfast buffets entirely, instead provided packaged food at buffet stations or otherwise offered room service picked up at a drop-off spot. Several other hospitality institutions have prohibited guests from self-service and demanded that they wear masks in serving areas. All of this would suggest that, henceforth, hotel breakfast and dinner buffets would need to be completely eliminated or substantially redeveloped.

Trust-building will be prioritized

There will be a shift from private organizations to credible public organizations for reliable information about safe practices and places to consult with credible public organizations. An investigation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that only 10% of individuals have confidence in the guidelines issued by private companies. As a result, it would be more beneficial to have a reliable third-party certification, like a health organization or government rating, than simply stating an establishment's safety measures on the webpage. 

Covid has unavoidably altered the nature of hospitality the way we know it, so we must learn to work through and embrace it. So, now that you know more or less everything about the covid measures that might remain in the hospitality sector in the coming years, you can learn about the future of hospitality management in order to stay competitive in the market and be equipped with the relevant knowledge.

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