A hotel is no longer just a place to sleep, an office not just a place to work. The role of a place—any place—has changed. Because we’ve changed.
Global Hotel Alliance CEO, Chris Hartley: “With the renewed programme, hotels are no longer just places to travel or stay; they are local centres for working, socialising and relaxing close to home”
Hybrid Lives with David Keen is a limited podcast series from QUO. In each episode, David engages space-makers from around the world to discuss the evolving role of places. Join us in considering the impact our increasingly multifaceted lives have on the places we work, sleep and gather.
In spite of numerous threats, with crises also come new opportunities. While many hotels had already started their digital revolution and were thinking of creative and innovative business strategies, the pandemic has turned this will to change into a real must. Finding ways to better monetize and commercialize different offers is mandatory, as clients’ habits have evolved and now include non-room products and services such as eating in a restaurant, drinking at a bar, benefitting from packages, visits and activities. This change of habits does not only regard clients, but the needs of each individual. People have adapted to new ways of working, and concepts such as online shopping, catering services or take-out and delivery by hotels, restaurants, or even grocery stores have become the norm.
“New ways of work will create new ways of travelling,” Festive Road managing partner Caroline Strachan told the kick-off conference session at the recent Business Travel Show Europe in London.
There's no doubt, hotels today still rely heavily on occupancy to drive non-room-related revenue at their properties. However, more than ever, owners, franchisees, GMs and management companies are placing greater emphasis on new potential revenue opportunities, and spaces such as hotel gyms, meeting rooms and oversized lobbies that aren't having a positive impact on the bottom line.
One year ago today, Scandic launched the largest network of coworking spaces in the Nordic countries. Driven by the growing trend in flexible working, the concept has opened up hotel spaces to both budding entrepreneurs and established businesses as well as students. Since the start, Scandic has sold more than 102,000 coworking hours at close to 270 hotels the Nordic countries, Germany and Poland. Now the company is taking the next step by welcoming coworkers at all hotels to start their day with a hotel breakfast included in the price.
In the past 12 months, millions globally have been forced to work from home due to domestic lockdowns and restrictions. Now, after a year of remote work, and as many worldwide are vaccinated in increasing numbers, organizations are getting serious about what a return to the office will look like. However, companies may have a hard time dragging everyone back to the office. The pandemic highlighted many advantages of remote work and employees won’t be quick to give them up. They want to keep their newfound work-life balance.