The new generation of travelers craves adventure, for sure, but they also crave simplicity. According to Skift, new reports and surveys on travel and hospitality all show that simplicity is going to be the new luxury in 2017.
Today's guests crave better health and wellness options, along with a greater convergence of experiences — like a seamless digital experience without being overwhelmed by it. For forward-thinking luxury hotels, The Future Laboratory's Luxury Futures Report 2016 is the perfect guide to follow in this regard.
Hotels can cater to the needs of the new-age traveler by combining culture, education, connectivity and wellness into a single, multifaceted lifestyle zone for the consumer.
Participants in the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) conference in December in Cannes agreed that guests today not only want the best regarding food, wellness, local community culture and activities, but they also want all of these under one roof. The "well-integrated experience" is the latest buzzword term for travelers.
Instead of large, opulent properties, brands should invest in smaller hotels that will provide a stress-free and relaxed stay, along with an authentic and immersive local travel experience. Guests are looking for genuine detox opportunities. The idea is to do away with the noise — not just of everyday life but also of social media.
Health and wellness are going to be huge in 2017 and will soon be incorporated into a mainstream lifestyle concept. It is, therefore, not a surprise to see hotels offering a luxury-yet-holistic approach to wellness, which includes focused and evidence-based programs.
Surveys show the trends have slowly shifted from curated and artisanal to simplicity for 2017. For millennials, experiencing true beauty need not be in the lap of luxury as long as they can be completely stress-free and unburdened. They no longer want to be overwhelmed with apps, social media channels, reviews, blogs and news feeds.
Perhaps for this reason, there is a subtle move back to the familiar travel agent who can pair people with their passion and travel experiences. A faceless digital option cannot offer the deep cultural, historical and adventurous offerings they are looking for.
Luxury, thus, will be redefined by the level of personal experiences offered. Smaller hotels with simpler amenities may just be able to do that. Family-owned properties, with their distinctive atmospheres, are rising in demand, too.
It's not just hotels that are tapping into the "simplicity" buzzword. Qatar Airways is all set to introduce new amenity kits for passengers traveling via the Economy Class. With a special focus on simplicity and functionality, these kits will contain some comfort essentials that will make the passengers' journey more relaxing, pleasurable and comfortable.
All in all, the idea behind the simplicity movement is to improve and upgrade the overall travel experience without all the fuss.
