Several industry experts were interviewed for Women Leading Travel & Hospitality’s latest report, Customer Experience Trends in Travel and Hospitality. Their answers were so thorough and detailed, we didn’t have the space to share every word in the final report! Below, find a full-length interview from Diana Plazas-Trowbridge, chief sales and marketing officer, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International.

Women Leading Travel & Hospitality: How did the pandemic cause travel and hospitality trends to shift so rapidly?
Diana Plazas-Trowbridge: 

  • The pandemic has changed consumer behavior — people discovering new ways of living, working and learning, and their approach to life has shifted.
  • The pandemic has accelerated various trends worldwide. When lockdowns and travel restrictions began lifting, we saw emerging trends such as local travel — people looking to rediscover their local cities and realizing the benefits of traveling locally. Or celebration travel, with people wanting to revisit celebrations such as anniversaries and milestones, honeymoons, or romance travel. Also, outdoor and adventure travel, with travelers looking for places with fewer crowds, such as outdoor and beach experiences.
  • More recently, we’ve seen some other post-pandemic trends with people realizing that travel is a main source of lasting joy, wellness and personal growth. We see purposeful and regenerative travel and the bleisure/digital nomads. What’s common around these trends is that people now want to travel with purpose: strengthening relationships when traveling, fostering a deeper connection to the places they visit, and putting effort into getting to know the people, history, food and culture of a destination.
  • The pandemic forced people to reprioritize. Having been denied the ability to travel, many people developed a new appreciation for connecting through travel — it has taken on a greater meaning and higher importance. Travel was once viewed as a “nice to have” is now viewed as a “need to have.”
  • We’re pleased to see how tourism continues to recover globally. It has surpassed 2019 levels in some parts of the world. Travelers are hungry for new experiences like never before, and we’re very optimistic about the future of travel.
  • At Marriott International we’re proud of the remarkable work our teams have accomplished since the beginning of the pandemic. This has been the most challenging period in our company’s history, but the resiliency of our associates and our business model have never been more evident. The last couple of years have been a time for change, but also a time of excitement and advancement for the travel industry. We haven’t slowed down; we continue to grow forward.

WLT&H: What trends that surged in popularity due to the pandemic are here to stay?
DPT:

Bleisure, Gleisure and Digital Nomads

  • A trend that’s gaining more traction is the combination of business and leisure travel as a result of the trend toward more flexible work environments.
  • Remote work flexibility has blurred the lines between leisure and business travel, with travelers mixing their business travels with leisure (aka “bleisure”).
  • This trend is becoming noticeable in groups as well, where group attendees bring family/friends to enjoy the leisure facilities at the hotel while the group attendee attends meetings and events, or the group attendee is arriving earlier/staying longer to enjoy the hotel and destination on their own or with family and friends (aka “gleisure”).
  • Bleisure has also empowered “digital nomads,” who flock to cities. These modern bleisure travelers tend to be culturally curious and open to educational adventures — the reason why urban destinations are a great fit to quench their thirst for culture.
  • Remote working creates new business travelers. The job setting for remote employees clearly differs from that of office workers, and they have different needs too. These differences and changes in work locations will result in the emergence of new types of business travel

Purposeful and Regenerative Travel (Leisure)

  • Purposeful travel has taken many forms, including personal regeneration or self-renewal; relationship regeneration or restoring the bonds between people; and cultural regeneration or making a positive impact on the local communities visited.
  • This focus on purposeful travel means that travelers are taking a more considered, intentional approach to travel, from sustainability to community support.
  • Travelers now want to foster a deeper connection to the places they visit, getting to know the people, history, food and the culture of a place, in addition to seeking out experiences that focus on holistic well-being as well as those that place an emphasis on relationship building.

New Sense of Luxury Travel

  • We’re also seeing a desire to elevate luxury travel experiences to new heights. From private jets to adventure travel, the affluent consumer is willing to pay more to create a truly unique and one-of-a-kind experience.
  • The luxury traveler is also entering a new era of regeneration, driven by a maturing set of desires, tastes and aspirations. This luxury traveler aspires to restore, renew and reimagine their life for the better. They no longer want to be known for the traditional status markers of wealth of the past, but for the contributions they’re making and the values they live by. This leads to a more considered approach to travel. Travelers are craving a new kind of travel experience. Desire for luxury experiences that feel understated, less formal, and more local or uniquely authentic to a place.

WLT&H: What are your customers’ top expectations when it comes to their technology experience?
DPT:

  • Innovation is at the very core of our company as a great part of our business comes from data-driven and tech-enabled solutions. We use data and information technologies creatively to serve our guests’ needs as technology is crucial for enhancing the traveler experience and helping our associates focus on delivering great customized experiences for our guests.
  • Our geographically large and broad presence in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean allows us to identify data and trends to understand customer habits and use that information to their benefit.
  • We’ve accelerated our technology investments in the last years to meet the evolving expectations and preferences of the market in the region and globally. From utilizing different efficiencies and solutions in our properties to guest-facing experiences such as the mobile key or the great capabilities of our mobile app, we see technology as an ally that allows for a lot more value than just offering a hotel room.
  • We’re deeply committed to enhancing our customers’ buying experience, and we’re using technology and data to understand the habits of our consumers and provide them with a seamless buying experience, all while diversifying and expanding our channels.

WLT&H: What trends are you predicting for the short term and the long term?
DPT:

  • We recently unveiled the yearly Marriott International Caribbean & Latin America survey on travel trends in the region, which compiles responses from 3,000 respondents in 10 different countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.
  • All-inclusive is top of mind for travelers. Forty-three percent of respondents would opt for an all-inclusive hotel vs. a regular one.
  • Family travel is another trend that’s not going away — 50 percent are planning family travel for 2023.
  • Sustainability has become a deciding factor for travelers in making travel and destination choices — 73 percent of respondents said so.

What Travelers Are Looking For?

  • The Marriott International survey reveals that the most sought-after travel experiences for Latin Americans include exploring a destination’s culture and history (73 percent), gastronomy (65 percent), and outdoor activities (64 percent). The most important factors when choosing a destination are accommodation prices (92 percent), transportation costs (84 percent), and hygiene and safety measures (83 percent).
  • Most respondents (73 percent) also mentioned the importance of environmental policies, which is precisely one of Marriott International’s strategic pillars. The company focuses on environmental challenges, from coastal degradation to biodiversity loss, among others, by investing in projects that can be scaled up and replicated over the long term to help the world’s natural capital resources.
  • Forty-three percent of Latin American travelers expressed a preference for an all-inclusive hotel during their next vacation, which is double the number of those who said they would prefer a rental property (21 percent) and triple the number of those who chose a traditional hotel (13 percent) as their next accommodation.
  • As for loyalty programs that reward customers, respondents cited free Wi-Fi (86 percent), exclusive discounts (86 percent), room upgrades (76 percent), exchanging points for other benefits (74 percent), and online check-in (70 percent) as the most attractive benefits of being a member.
  • When it comes to travel companionship, half of the respondents (50 percent) plan to travel with their family, 37 percent are inclined to travel as a couple, while others (22 percent) want to experience a solo trip. For family travel, travelers said they prefer a hotel near the beach (33 percent) or one that allows for outdoor activities (32 percent). When asked if they would take a trip alone, even if not planned, 43 percent said they consider it appealing due to the possibility of having flexibility in the decisions they make (23 percent) and relaxing much more on their own (34 percent).