NEW YORK (November 28, 2016) – Magrino, a lifestyle public relations agency for top brands in hospitality, consumer and luxury goods, and food, wine and spirits, today announced its forecast for 2017 trends in luxury travel and hospitality. The announcement follows the agency’s inaugural Travel Trends Summit hosted on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at NeueHouse Madison Square in New York City.
Presented in two panels, the summit was moderated by Susan Magrino, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Magrino Agency, and Allyn Magrino, President and COO of Magrino Agency. The event brought together the industry’s top leaders to discuss the factors that are shaping travel trends for the coming year, including millennial preferences, technology integration, social media and the luxury customer. The two panels of experts included:
- Nikheel Advani, Co-Founder, COO & Principal, Grace Bay Resorts
- Jack Ezon, President and Partner, Ovation Travel
- Alex Glasscock, CEO & Co-Founder, The Ranch
- Matthew Kenney, Chef and Founder, Matthew Kenney Cuisine
- Peter Jon Lindberg, Director of Inspiration, Conrad Hotels & Resorts
- Judy Stein, Co-President, Ovation Vacations
- Kat Tanita, Blogger, With Love from Kat
- Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy and Portfolio Mixologist, William Grant & Sons
- Alexandra Walterspiel, CEO & Co-Founder, Imprint Hospitality (Management company for El San Juan Hotel)
- Brian Young, Managing Director, Castle Hill Inn
“This event came together in an effort to create an environment that invites influential leaders to engage in thought-provoking conversations,” says Allyn Magrino. “We wanted to fill a void by sourcing input on today’s trends from the experts in the industry who are actually on the front lines.”
The engaging discussion covered topics ranging from technology and health and wellness to food and beverage revealing several emerging trends to watch in 2017.
The Millennial Mindset According to Jack Ezon, who heads the global travel agency, Ovation, millennials can no longer be looked upon as young travelers between the ages of 18 and 24. In fact, he says, being a millennial is a much more diverse mindset. “We define that group by their behaviors,” Ezon adds. “For the first time we’re seeing parents trying to act like kids rather than kids trying to act like their parents.” He says once businesses can move beyond the misconception of age, they will find a wide demographic of travelers who share similar interests and needs.
Wi-Fi is King In the world of ever-evolving technology there is one belief that holds true, according to the panelists.
“Wi-Fi and bandwidth are like hot water and plumbing,” states Brain Young, Managing Director of the boutique Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. “Wi-Fi is a utility and it’s basic to the guest experience.”
Beyond Wi-Fi, experts also note that simplicity is key when exploring new technologies. “If it’s just technology for technology’s sake it becomes a distraction,” says Alexandra Walterspiel, CEO & Co-Founder of the hotel management firm, Imprint Hospitality.
To explain further, the panelists note the rise of certain off-brand options for luxury guests. “We are reading and hearing so much about the keyless entry. In the luxury segment, I think it’s a miss,” Ezon explains. “You need to make your staff more efficient to connect with guests.”
Young supported this sentiment, noting “remote check-in or mobile kiosks miss the basic human connection that anyone who is a traveling guest needs to have – and it’s just not luxury.”
Airbnb is Here to Stay Airbnb, the online house sharing network valued at $30 billion, is a hot topic within the travel industry that isn’t likely to fade away. For Nikheel Advani, COO of the luxury Grace Bay Resorts in Turks & Caicos, the competition from home rentals is a challenge hoteliers must embrace.
Noting that the company has filled an obvious void in the industry, Advani stresses that businesses need to study the behavior patterns of their guests to make themselves stronger. “We need to listen to our customers and if we cannot satisfy them someone else will.”
Influencer Kat Tanita supports this sentiment reflecting on her loyalty to the company. “I spent half of my time at their properties. I love the charming feeling and the ability to have a local experience.”
Food and Beverage is Guiding Travel Plans When choosing a destination that meets their needs, experts say food is the motivating factor. Guests are constantly researching notable restaurants, award-winning vineyards and trendsetting bars to experience during their travels.
“Food and beverage is the number one priority in terms of every type of trip planned,” Judy Stein, Co-President of Ovation, stressed.
There is also an interactive, culturally-immersive element to the food experience. Young says restaurants are flipping the table on the “farm-to-table” trend bringing guests directly to the farm, whether it is truffle hunting in Tuscany or catching your own clams off the coast of Newport.
Peter Lindberg, an award-wining travel writer who has explored culinary destinations around the world, notes there is also a return to fine dining after years of casualization. “There’s a certain specialness that’s coming back.” This manifests equally in the storied hotel bar, which has seen a renaissance alongside the continued rise of cocktail culture. “The hotel bar is the pinnacle of our industry,” says Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy and Portfolio Mixologist for William Grant & Sons. “There is a sense of occasion about them, which inspires the new generation.” The hotel minibar is another place where innovation is seen, containing a more discerning collection of offerings, since people are becoming more aware of what they are consuming.
To that end, wellness has also played a part in people’s culinary decisions. Today, guests are more informed than ever about the food eat.
“There is a megatrend with diners being more conscious of the ingredients on the menu,” says Chef Matthew Kenney, founder of Matthew Kenney Cuisine. “We now have a responsibility to nourish – not just feed – our guests.”
Impact of Social Media Experts agree word of mouth is one of the strongest promotional tools with social media networks giving a voice to the consumer, while also allowing brands connect directly with their guests.
“It’s a tremendous way of storytelling and sharing a brand ethos,” says Kenney. “Before companies could only rely on media to tell their story.”
But in the Golden Age of information, Lindberg stresses guests can sometimes become overwhelmed sifting through sites like Yelp and TripAdivsor to find the best recommendations. They struggle to find sources they can trust.
“There’s a part of me that misses this expert that was the conduit to your knowledge,” he says. “It’s mind boggling how much information we have to sort through.”
In regards to negative reviews, Alex Glasscock, who founded The Ranch, a healthy lifestyle brand, says social media allows companies to showcase their brand’s integrity in a genuine manner.
“Occasionally we have someone who writes something that is not favorable. We address those people by being authentic and we are consistent in how we respond to those comments.”
But the industry has also had to adapt to a tech-savvy generation of travelers. Voisey notes a demand has been placed on the hospitality industry to provide products that are Instagram ready. “It used to be favorable to have a drink consumed while it’s still live—meaning seconds after it’s freshly prepared—whereas now, we’re tasked with making sure it can withstand a full minute of perennial Instagramming.”
