Sabre Corporation has released a study, in collaboration with TrendWatching, identifying three behaviourial trends among Asia Pacific travellers, which can present new opportunities for hotels in 2017.
The trends are ‘Betterment’, a growing consumer desire for self-improvement; ‘Local Love’, taking pride in locality and embracing local products and services; and ‘Infolust’, the appetite for timely, relevant and actionable information exchange that helps better purchase decisions and solicit more personalised services.
Kennedy Ellis, vice president of marketing and strategic development for Sabre Hospitality Solutions said competition among hotels in many APAC markets is high despite positive outlook this year and beyond. Add in the “rapid disruption in the range of accommodation options” and changing consumer preferences, hotels are under pressure to keep innovating.
“One key way to maintain an edge in a fiercely competitive industry is to identify emerging consumer behaviours that present new opportunities to differentiate the travel ‘experience’,” she added.
Data from global data benchmarking and insights firm STR revealed the Asia Pacific region reported a 1.9% year-on-year increase in occupancy in Q3 2016. However, average daily rates were down 1.9 percent to US$97.34
BETTERMENT
Growing awareness to do good like recycling (Image credit: spwidoffi/Stock)
According to the study, consumers are striving to improve their lifestyle and satiate a feeling that they could ‘do better’ such as living more healthily, recycling more or ‘doing good’. However healthier, smarter and more responsible choices are also perceived as costing more. This, combined with human inertia, means action is often lacking.
For many consumers the lure of deals or rewards can be the catalyst needed to incentivise action. For example, discounted rates for guests who support a hotel’s chosen local community programme during their stay, or dining vouchers at a local health food restaurant for guests who use the spa. Travel brands, such as Qantas are jumping on the bandwagon with a health insurance and wellness programme launched last year.
LOCAL LOVE
Interest in local culture on the rise (Image credit – Padaung Long Neck Karen woman: karen-Gelia/iStock)
A growing number of Asian consumers are taking pride in locality, embracing local products and offerings and reinventing the celebration of traditions and culture. Hotels are well “uniquely positioned” to create truly authentic experiences, said Ellis.
“Through local partnerships they can extend and enhance the guest experience, increase customer loyalty or room rates while driving new revenue streams back into the development of ‘localness’ – further fuelling regional economic growth.”
INFOLUST
Information easily available to travellers via mobile devices (Image RamCreativ/iStock)
The easy availability of online and mobile access have put vast amount of information at the consumers’ fingertips to help them with purchase decisions. They are also increasingly open to sharing information in exchange for more relevant, personalised, services and recommendations through popular messaging apps, such as WeChat and Line.
Ellis said hotels could use these channels “to share travel information, from shopping options to mid-trip services, and engage consumers at every stage of the journey in a virtual channel they’re already in, via the two-way conversation they’re seeking.”
Download the full report here.
