Hospitality Business: New Development Goals and Initiatives

Unlike the previous year, which is usually considered as a year of a pause or a loss, this 2021 became the year of taking action, tourism industry collaboration, and launching essential initiatives aimed not only at the sector recovery but also at operating responsibly and growing sustainably. Let’s take a closer look at these initiatives and new development goals.

Reframing Hospitality

The International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) was held in Berlin in September this year, followed by the Business Travel Show in October, gathering more than 1,200 leaders in global hospitality investment and development.

In the wake of these events, participants dove straight into the hot topics of the moment to address both the challenges and the opportunities. In addition, Tranio partnered together with the Forum to conduct a survey on the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic as well as shed light on perspectives for the future of the travel sector.

Based on survey results, experts are optimistic about the hospitality business recovery mainly thanks to improved vaccination ratios, government support, implementation of touchless technology, and digitalized services. Most respondents believe that Germany and Spain will recover quicker than others.

While discussing the ways how to bounce back, participants spoke of sustainability and the renewed focus on the environment.

Sure, these topics have been raised before. Yet, they are now coming into focus again, often in reliance on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investments. This strategy is about positive changes in society by being a better investor and scoring ESG ratings to continue to attract money determined by independent research companies and groups. Here are the criteria used to measure companies for ESG investing:

• Environmental: Analysis of impact companies have on the environment, namely carbon footprint, toxic chemicals involved in processes, and sustainability efforts made in the supply chain.
• Social: Analysis of the social impact companies have, namely staff equality, racial diversity, inclusion programs, and hiring practices.
• Governance: Analysis of how companies drive positive change.

As we see it, hotel sector leaders are now moving in the direction of doing the right things and making the world a better place to live in. Here’s what else is done in the industry recently and what priorities are set:

• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, aimed at reducing waste and pollution across the tourism sector and a Life Cycle Approach with a special focus on innovation and approaches to make sure used plastics are circulated back into the economy rather than thrown away.
• The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a global organization that brings together hotels and hospitality companies, including Hilton, Accor, Hyatt, Marriott International, and more to address and tackle challenges affecting the planet and its people, as well as develops free practical resources and programs to achieve sustainable goals.
• Commitment to the promotion and preservation of rural villages’ cultural heritage and sustainable development. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) initiative aimed at providing opportunities and safeguarding communities and local traditions as well as making innovative and transformative approaches to rural areas’ tourism based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations as a universal call to action to address the global challenges and end poverty, inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all human beings can enjoy peace and justice by 2030.
• Accessible and inclusive tourism, aimed at recognizing the role of incorporating accessibility into the tourism practices, creating an accessible pathway in natural areas, sharing knowledge and experiences supporting the right of people with disabilities to travel.

To become a future-ready hotel, it is time to recognize the importance of shared values and taking care of each other.

While opening the World Tourism Day 2021, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized the sector’s “commitment to inclusive growth so that tourism’s restart brings hope for millions worldwide and ensures that everyone who has a stake in tourism also has a say in its future”.

Most experts admit that the achievement of the above-mentioned goals and initiatives stand on three pillars: investments, innovation, and inclusion. Each pillar contains several steps to take.

• Investments. During the last Adjacent Spaces event, the hospitality’s innovators and IHIF delegates concentrated on exploring ways how to invest beyond the hotel room and converting distressed assets for alternative uses. As a profitable and sustainable strategy, they mentioned an opportunity to convert such assets into serviced apartments, student accommodations, or senior living accommodations. In this respect, serviced apartments are thriving now because they help to adapt and cater to the changing consumer behavior patterns. Also, they were early adopters of hotel technology and innovation.

• Innovation. According to the UNWTO Panel of Experts survey, the use of digital tools is one of the main factors for the effective recovery of international tourism. Those hoteliers who can provide guests with self-service opportunities and tools will win the competition. Today’s customers now choose hotels that offer contactless check-in/out, room access, food or service orders, and payments through the phone.

• Inclusion. The UNWTO places considerable emphasis on the importance of the promotion of responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism for all. To address this goal, they launched and presented the publication “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development – Compendium of Best Practices”. Based on the Compendium, tourism and hospitality business owners should focus on the following three frameworks to determine accessible products and services in nature areas:

1. Make destination competitiveness and sustainability analysis.
2. Identify sources of behavior change interventions based on implementation science;
3. Adopt ambient intelligence towards smart innovations to support inclusion and services to people with disabilities.

We are witnessing that the hospitality industry is turning to sustainability, implementing low-emission mobility solutions, maintaining biological and cultural diversity, transforming accommodations into innovative “conscious” hotels.

This requires partnership with the right tech provider, a collaboration between public and private sectors, and recognition of the importance of innovation. HotelFriend software in this regard is exactly that solution that creates a perfect remote collaboration, ensures more efficient use of the accommodation facilities, and makes your hotel more sustainable.

Ready to get started using the software that covers everything a hotelier needs today? Get a 30-day free trial now.

About HotelFriend

HotelFriend is a global provider of business software with offices across Europe. The company specializes in R&D in the travel and hospitality sectors, cloud computing, e-commerce, CRM, ERP, and the development of mobile and desktop apps.

Philipp Thomas
Business Development Manager
+49 30 46999 5418
HotelFriend AG