The travel industry is booming – at last count worth 10.4% of global GDP and growing. With it, has come a total disruption of the hospitality sector, with Air BnB leading the charge, closely followed by a proliferation of mid-tier hotels (Citizen M, Freestyle, 25hrs, Ace Hotels) – all delivering an aspirational travel experience with an affordable price tag. The secret to their success was been understanding and leveraging the shifting needs of consumers – delivering what they were willing to pay for and eliminating what they were not.

However, these days it is feeling all rather formulaic, with little distinction between competitors, irrespective of price point. Design-forward, check. Locally inspired lifestyle and entertainment program, sexy F&B, ‘stealable’ toiletries. Check. Check and check. So what’s next? How can hotels differentiate in a way that offers real value to their guests? Particularly at the top end?

Descartes and new luxury

To understand ‘what next’, it is important to start with the consumer and interrogate their behaviours and expenditure in and outside the category. At a glance, we see:

• The proliferation of self-help books and inspirational autobiographies representing 7 of the 10 best sellers on Amazon for 2018
• The popularity of speaker tours – Michelle Obama’s sell-out book tour tickets being snapped up on ebBay for over £30k
• NASA’s expansion into the higher education space, with the offering of Astrophysics degrees for a cool half million USD
• Google Camp – where the world’s top 0.001% debate social, political and environmental issues in the morning and ‘play’ after lunch at some of the worlds’ best hotels

Joining the dots, we can see the behaviour underpinning the above is one of self-actualisation – the realisation or fulfilment of one’s talents and potential or in more existential terms – the meaning of life – their life. Never has Descartes assertion je pense que je suis (I think therefore I am) been more relevant. Consumers, especially those belonging to the global elite want to be seen investing in themselves. They want to be recognised for making character building decisions and having meaningful interactions and connections, ultimately resulting in a strong, unique personal narrative they can showcase. Beyond this, primary research suggests each step they take towards self-actualisation brings with it a certainty, a vitality that is considered to be the panacea to an uncertain, anxiety-ridden, disconnected, post truth world.

So, coming down to earth a bit – where does travel fit into the story for the progressive global elite and how can we develop a hotel experience that meets these deeply existential needs?As always, luxury travel is about meeting a consumer’s need for status and recognition, however, how they seek to do this has evolved.

Traditionally it was all about the ‘tangibles’ – gold taps, marble staircases and chandeliers. Over the last two decades or so, this evolved into rare experiences – chef table dinners, the summiting of Mt Everest or the likes. Now, with this shift towards self-actualisation, the more progressive of the global elite are seeking an environment that invigorates them, opens their mind to new possibilities, but ultimately leaves them feeling more connected to themselves, reminding them of their role in the world . Emerging manifestations of this include the rise of: off-the-beaten track locations, purpose driven tourism (eg environmental, social, philanthropical) and the more mainstream wellbeing retreat.

Some examples of brands that have been early to identify and leverage this include; The Eaton Workshop (a social and politically driven hotel brand), the One Hotel with its enviro-forward principles, Et Hem (a small boutique hotel in Sweden, with a design focus of bringing people together) or The Fogo Island Inn – a social enterprise designed to showcase and employ the local community. At an executional level, we are seeing more luxury hotels showcasing their curated libraries crammed with thought-provoking literature, wi-fi free zones or indeed a complete tech ban – all means to meet the evolving needs of their consumers.

The brand service experience – building a strong point of differentiation

As mentioned earlier, industry disruptors are meeting guests’ needs well at a tangible level, but it has come at a cost – the human touch. Self check-in, electronic keys and virtual concierges are common-place, but when a consumer is paying in excess of £500 a night, excellent service is still required. However, the ‘what type of service’ sought by the progressive luxury traveller has evolved. Various projects over the last 5 years suggest generic, at-arms-length pandering is no longer sought. Rather, genuine, individual interactions with engaging, thoughtful staff is considered meaningful. High calibre staff who, at the least are able to understand and engage with their guests on a personal level and at the most, through conversation, trigger something revelatory. This may be teaching the guest something new or giving them a fresh perspective on a topic, but ultimately it ladders up to building the guests’ sense of self-discovery and actively participating in their personal growth. These types of transformatory interactions are memorable, motivating guests to share their experiences, increasing peer-to-peer recommendations and create a social media buzz.

Final word

Let’s be clear, despite the existential shift we are witnessing amongst the more progressive luxury traveller, the right hardware is still important, however these are now a hygiene factor, not a driver of choice. What is a driver of choice is brand, what it stands for and how this is brought to life through the guest’s journey, especially by the staff.

In order to build and deliver a strong brand experience, interrogation of brand resonance needs to occur at both internal and external stakeholder level. If brand owners, operations, front and back of house staff are not 100% behind it, delivering the genuine, intimate, individual interaction sought by these types guests simply cannot happen. Equally, the brand needs to examine the relevance of its existing proposition and consumer-facing execution, particularly that of the brand’s service experience. Is it bringing the brand to life in a meaningful way? Can it spark a conversation between staff and guests, or inspire a service initiative that creates the opportunity for guests to learn something new about themselves or the world around them?

Lastly, investment in the right staff is crucial and I strongly believe requires disruption of the status quo in order for a luxury hotel brand to stand apart from its competitors. In major cities, even at the 5* plus end of the market, there is a struggle to attract and retain the right staff. Now, with service being the key opportunity for brand differentiation, this is an area that needs to be addressed via alternative solutions to sourcing, ways of working, training and remuneration.

As John Keats once wrote, touch has a memory – and it is the human touch, that has the ability to transform people, create truly memorable experiences and deliver an intangible pleasure that IS luxury and justifies the premium price paid.