THE NEW FACE OF HOSPITALITY

THE NEW FACE OF HOSPITALITY

As we all yearn to travel again after the confined existential dimension necessitated by the pandemic, there will be a rethinking of luxury hotel structures. No longer just comfortable retreats to unplug, but also places to plug in. Cultural hubs capable of bringing together art and business, physical and spiritual well-being, development and sustainability.

Business or leisure?

Very often we have had to choose the purpose of the trip at the time of booking. The hotel offering, which until the beginning of last year was exclusively divided between business and leisure, will likely be rethought by managers: coworking in common areas, rooms set up as offices, relaxation services available even to visitors. Many hotels have already adopted such an approach. The initiative could prove excellent for the summer and autumn months of this year, given the preference for smart-working by many companies.

Consumer psychology

The retail sector, which unlike hotels for obvious reasons benefits from the ability to provide online services (maximized by various brands), is still in crisis, but a crisis of a different nature. The temporary closure of stores, restrictions, and the decline in tourism have severely impacted traditional sales activities. The very nature of shopping has also changed: until 2020, shopping was a pleasant and fun experience, almost a Sunday ritual associated with leisure time (the famous Sunday shopping), but with the arrival of the pandemic, shopping has become a means to relieve stress. This type of shopping is comparable to eating many sweets under pressure: the pleasure diminishes and is often followed by guilt.

Regarding retail outlets, in a situation of uncertainty and low general morale, consumers prefer to reduce the time spent in physical stores, opting for online purchases. There is also growing distrust towards the safety standards of displayed products. Therefore, the psychological attitude of the consumer is even more important than before.

The return to tangibility

The need for a potential customer to experience the physical characteristics of a product, especially in the luxury sector, makes a difference, even more so in a world dominated by digital. With the arrival of the warm season, one solution to restore the pleasurable aspect of shopping and the tangibility of the product could be the expansion of temporary stores, exhibitions, corners, and pop-ups in hotel spaces.

It is well known that a change of atmosphere and vacation have positive effects on both physical and psychological health: the benefits of a vacation have been recognized since ancient times. Horace, Cicero, Ovid, Seneca, and many others argued that business should be alternated with leisure; the latter is not simply “doing nothing,” but an opportunity to regenerate the brain, making us more attentive, serene, clear-headed, and productive. In an atmosphere of well-being and carefreeness, hotels, resorts, and tourist destinations thus become excellent places to host retail.

Exhibitions and artistic installations

The hunger for art, and unusual visual and tactile experiences makes the potential consumer more receptive to and appreciative of temporary installations with an artistic or semi-artistic character. Positioned outdoors or in lounges, these setups and exhibitions enhance the brand’s image in the consumer’s eyes and increase their propensity to purchase the product.

Pop-up and temporary stores

Outdoor pop-ups and temporary stores, which have proven particularly effective in sales during the pandemic year, thanks to the immersive experiences they offer and especially their often open space structure, have great potential if positioned on hotel grounds: people will tend to reduce movements outside of it, especially if equipped with all comforts. However, attention must be paid to safety conditions: their visibility will lead to increased consumer trust.