The world has faced unprecedented challenges since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the first pandemic to the second pandemic, from the third pandemic to the fourth pandemic, and even with all of those in a row, we're still going through it. These challenges brought the traveling industry to a halt. 

American travelers made 2.8 billion fewer trips overall during the 4th of July celebrations in 2020 as compared to 2019, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The figure is a driver of a lot of pent-up traveling emotions among Americans during the pandemic period. 

And the great news is they are ready to channel these emotions by planning future vacations. According to a survey from The Vacationer, roughly 173 million adults in the U.S. had plans to travel in 2021, and this number reached 208 million in 2022.

In fact, hotels are ready, too. They've been working hard on new strategies and technologies that will allow them to meet the needs of travelers like never before, and they're excited about sharing all these innovations with tourists.

Implement Contactless Guest Experiences

Contactless guest experiences, also known as frictionless guest experiences, are the next step in hospitality technology. They allow guests to use their phones to check in, book rooms, pay for services, and more without having to visit a front desk or interact with staff members. 

This allows guests to get what they need from their hotel without any hassle. The idea behind contactless guest experiences is that it makes the hotel experience more convenient for both the guest and the property.

In addition to making it easier for guests to stay at your property, contactless guest experiences can help you increase revenue by encouraging them to spend more money while they're there. 

For example, by making it easy for guests who are looking for dinner options in your area, you can encourage them to order room service instead of going out into public areas. This is perfect for travelers who want to avoid interacting with other people while they're on vacation but don't want to miss out on the chance to explore new food options.

The trend toward a contactless hotel experience is motivating travelers to pick hotels based on the availability of this service. Metova found that 86% of respondents would pick one hotel over another if it had a mobile application that allowed for completely contactless mobile check-in, check-out, concierge, and facility reservations.

This means that hotels can attract new customers with their technology offerings and have a competitive advantage over other hotels in the area that don't implement these technologies.

Provide Top-Notch In-Room Entertainment Facilities

The pandemic that hit us all expanding from Asia to Europe and finally to the Americas, had a major impact on our lives, especially when it came to travel. 

However, it is still possible for hotels to benefit from this suppressed demand for travel by providing top-notch in-room entertainment facilities. As a hotel, you must offer guests a superior in-room entertainment experience if you want to draw in more numbers. This can be done by providing various in-room entertainment options, such as hotel casting and music systems.

Hotel casting is a great way to provide your customers with a hassle-free way of watching movies or playing games while they are staying at your hotel. It allows them to enjoy their favorite shows on their preferred OTT application without having to connect their devices with wires to screens in rooms.

Music systems are also great for adding some fun to your guests' stay at your hotel. With the availability of these systems in different specifications, you can choose a music system that best matches the interior design theme and style of your hotel.

Understand the Needs of “Bleisure” Travel

Traveling is one of the most sought-after activities in the world, and it has been for centuries. But in recent years, the way people travel has changed dramatically. Business travelers have become more interested in exploring their destinations and taking part in leisure activities while they are traveling for business.

“Bleisure travel” is a new market for hotels that has emerged as a result of this change. It combines business and leisure travel by allowing travelers to combine both types of travel into a single trip.

“Bleisure” trips are becoming increasingly popular, with Statista finding that 35% of business travelers from all over the world said they would likely take “bleisure” trips in the future. This figure indicates that there is a lot of demand for this type of trip, and perhaps that's why so many people want to do it.

This figure also indicates a rising preference toward “bleisure” among travelers. Hotels can capitalize on this demand by offering accommodation options that allow guests to stay in one place and take advantage of nearby attractions while still keeping costs low.

Moreover, hotels can also leverage their unique position as a hub for traveling by offering tours or excursions through local businesses as an additional service for guests who need transportation or would like an extra experience during their stay.

Offer a Personalized Experience

The post-pandemic world is a time of great opportunity for hotels and other travel providers. With the world still reeling from the pandemic, it's more important than ever for hotels to offer a personalized experience.

While the general population has been limited in their ability to explore the world, travelers have been waiting for this moment. Now that they are ready to explore again, it's time to offer them personalized experiences that cater to their individual needs and preferences.

According to Google, 57% of American travelers believe that brands should cater their information based on individual preferences or past behavior. Furthermore, 36% of respondents said they would be inclined to pay more for a travel brand's services if the information and overall trip experience were personalized based on individual preferences or past behavior. This figure highlights the importance of personalized experience in the hotel industry.

Hotels can leverage these figures as an opportunity to provide personalized experiences by leveraging data from their guest profiles and previous bookings. Hotels can use this information to provide guests with customized recommendations and options for upcoming trips based on their interests and previous bookings.

In Conclusion

The post-pandemic world offers a unique opportunity for hotels to leverage pent-up demand for travel. Hotels will need to be flexible and ready to adapt to these changes in order to successfully reach out to this audience.