08

AU T U M N 2 0 1 7
WINTER 2018
STATUS
issue

AGILITY
VS

SIZE
SMALL
DISRUPTORS
TAKE ON
INDUSTRY
GIANTS
Tourism | Brands | Experiences

AIRBNBS LOCAL INDIE OR BIG SRI LANKA

EXPERIENCES NAME BRAND? RISING
Can amateur trips beat We weigh pros + cons Local innovators Democratising a Dinosaur pg. 3
professional tours? for hotel management challenge global chains Sub-Zero Hospitality pg. 7
pg. 14 pg. 12 pg. 10 Designing Profitability pg. 8
CHINESE HOTEL
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE TOP HOTEL PROJECTS
Source: Lodging Econometrics
IN THE PIPELINE
As of September 2017

Hilton Worldwide
292 projects
Marriott International
253 projects
InterContinental Hotels
206 projects

1,724 Beijing

23,941
new rooms

Hotels
in development within 21,890
in or near Shanghai
new rooms
in or near Guangzhou
Suzhou
China right now
Shanghai new rooms
Chengdu
20,865 in or near Chengdu
new rooms
17,048 in or near Suzhou
new rooms
Guangzhou
13,919 in or near Beijing

ASIA PACIFIC AMERICAN

HOSPITALITY TRAVELLER
LABOUR SURVEY PREFERENCES
Source: ACI Source: Wakefield Research on behalf
of Hampton by Hilton

Men earn on
average
more due to
55% 82%
would travel for a year
holding more without pay if money
senior positions wasnt a concern

BONUS RECEIVED SALARY GROWTH

29%

$ 51% 49% 51%

Received 16% of Americans want trips that
1-2 month 9% rank travelling take them out
bonus 3% 4%
-27% -8% 1% to other of their comfort
countries zone
22%
Hong Kong

Australia

Indonesia

India

Singapore

Thailand

$ above buying
China

Greater than their dream car

2 months
Malaysia

HONG KONG
DISNEYLAND
FACING LOSSES
Source: The Walt Disney Company

Hong Kong Disneyland: 6.1 million visitors in 2016, down from 6.8 million
in 2015. Total revenue HK$4.8 billion, leading to losses of HK$171 million
Mainland China: 36% of total attendance in 2016, down from 41% in 2015
Current plans for US$1.4 billion expansion
02
 David Keen, CEO, QUO

column
DEMOCRATISING
A DINOSAUR
The nature of luxury is changing and those leading
the charge arent who you might expect.

n 2014 in Singapore, I spoke about an antiquated
dinosaur that hadnt changed in 25 years. I made an
elegant comparison to advances in technology and ever-
modernising cityscapes, even arguing that the fall of the
Berlin Wall had redrawn geopolitical boundaries. Yet in
spite of this burgeoning change sweeping across the
globe, the hotel industry stubbornly remained a dotard
(an irresistibly apt analogy).
Fast-forward three years. It took a couple of visionary
hotel brands in Amsterdam and New York, but we finally
have a movement and, dare I say it, I think weve reached
the tipping point. Gladwell, eat your heart out. The last
man is about to fall.
The new economies of sharing and experience have
come to Asia. We are going to see change like weve not
seen since the 1970s and the grandes dames of Hong
Kong, Singapore, Rangoon and Colombo. Brands are
defining themselves by the experiences they promise,
not by price, room size or location. And thats not all the
really clever ones know that a facelift will eventually sag,
that they have to change themselves from their insides
out. Imagine!
In Manila, Saigon, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta,
Bangkok, Colombo and Taipei, visionary brands are now
being brought to life by an egalitarian workforce. By
their own distinct tone of voice. By splashes of colour.
By desperately needed personality. They are upending
traditional hierarchies, and by so doing, initiating
desperately needed societal change.
The old eco-system is dying out that mad pyramid
with the Monty Pythonesque general manager sitting in
his glass tower and barking out orders to his Directors
of Food and Beverage, Rooms Division and Engineering.
In its place, a new order one that offers dignity,
empowerment and hope for the frontline!
I reckon the next wave of hospitality
is happening in Asia, and its gonna give
Mittel-Europe a run for its money.
I was sharing a new brand a few weeks
ago with one of our clients in Colombo.
I am dead proud of this one. It began with
an inverted organisational pyramid and
has ended up promising to re-engineer
the very notion of hospitality in Sri Lanka.
I had reached the core of the
presentation, which spoke to a redefinition
of the concept of luxury, when a young
man at the front of the room put up his
hand and said, Sir, isnt luxury all in the
experience? Wise beyond his years.
Going out of the window, and taking
with it the ludicrous structure of traditional
hospitality, is the belief that luxury only
exists at the top end. The new luxury is all
in the experience, the aspiration. Just ask
my daughter. Her vision of luxury is the bed
at Citizen M in Amsterdam a deliciously
gigantic thing that soaks up much of the
rooms 14sqm floor space.
In every brand that we create, luxury is
alive and well. But it is not in gilt bathrooms,
palatial suites or crystal chandeliers. It is in
the hearts of the guest typologies that are
going to be attracted to the brand.
That brings me to some forward-
thinking investors in Vietnam. Currently
leveraging the new economy, theyre
forging a brand not for foreign visitors, but
for a new, travel-savvy generation. They
expect to open at least five new hotels in
the next couple of years, all modelled on
the notion of Indochina 2.0. Immersed
in this new generation and its needs, the
brand Wink Hotels lets the desires of
its guests define what constitutes luxury.
In this case, that happens to be cool co-
working spaces, flexible minimalist rooms
and a food concept that delivers the best
local street dishes.
More than any of these tangible
product experiences, the democratisation
of the industry at Wink Hotels equates to a
literal form of democracy for its staff. Each
employee will be intelligently trained to
leverage their own personality to seduce
the guests to the mores of the brand.
They will interact confidently and
with knowledge. They will talk to each
guest on their own terms, equally not
speak up or speak down, but speak to
the guest. They will be there to assist with
technology, directions or anything else the
guest requires. But they wont be dressed
in twee uniforms, or be standing behind a
concierge desk. They wont be trained to
spit out lines like a trained parrot.
It intrigues me that it is in two of the
most buoyant economies (Sri Lanka and
Vietnam) that the most aggressive and
rebellious brand development is happening.
That owners in more developed tourism
economies are meanwhile content to sit on
their laurels. One cannot help but wonder
how far the latter species is from extinction.
Long live the revolution!

BANGKOK AMSTERDAM HO CHI MINH CITY Status QUO is a publication from QUO.
T +66 2260 9494 T +31 2351 00938 T +84 8 3910 0839 Opinions expressed in the publication
F +66 2661 7970 F +31 2351 00515 F +84 8 3910 0779 are those of the authors and are not
E info.bangkok@quo-global.com E info.amsterdam@quo-global.com E info.hcmc@quo-global.com necessarily those of QUO. All rights
are reserved. QUO 2017. Status
QUO is designed and edited by the
www.quo-global.com MAL NEW DELHI SINGAPORE
QUO creative team.
T +960 7999 008 T +91 987 341 7055 E info.singapore@quo-global.com
E info.male@quo-global.com E info.newdelhi@quo-global.com
OCT DEC FEB MAR
12 14 November
HX: The Hotel Experience
New York, USA

18 20 October 14 15 November 4 6 December 6 11 February 5 8 March

HICAP Hospitality Industry Technology Global Summit on Urban Tourism Singapore Airshow 2018 Hotelympia
Hong Kong Exposition & Conference (HITEC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Singapore London, England
Dubai, UAE
25 27 October 4 7 December 11 13 February 8 7 March
InteriHOTEL 15 17 November International Luxury Travel Market Fiera Milano City International Hotel Investment
Barcelona, Spain PATA New Tourism Cannes, France Milan, Italy Forum (IHIF)
Frontiers Forum Berlin, Germany
30 October 2 November Palau, Micronesia 5 December 20 21 February
The Lodging Conference Top Hotel Projects World Tour Asia-Pacific Incentives and 7 11 March
Phoenix, USA 19 22 November Zurich, Switzerland Meetings Expo ITB Berlin
Loop Luxury Fair GmbH Melbourne, Australia Berlin, Germany

NOV
Tirol, Austria 10 December
World Spa Awards 21 22 February
28 29 November Phu Quoc, Vietnam Business Travel Show
South East Asia Hotel & Tourism London, England
Investment Conference 11 13 December
1 3 November Colombo, Sri Lanka International Hotel Equipment & 26 28 February
HI Design Asia Supplies Exhibition International Luxury Travel
Bali, Indonesia 29 30 November Guangzhou, China Market (ILTM)
Smart Travel Data Summit 2017 Tokyo, Japan
1 3 November Amsterdam, Netherlands 13 14 December
LGBT Tourism & Hospitality Global INSTO 2017
San Francisco, USA 30 November Madrid, Spain
The Over 50s Market in
2 5 November

JAN
Travel 2017
Conde Nast Luxury Travel Fair London, England
London, England

6 8 November
World Travel Market 18 19 January
London, England Adventure Travel Conference

8 November
2018
Madrid, Spain EVENTS

2017-8
Worldwide Hospitality Awards
Paris, France 22 26 January
ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2018
Chiang Mai, Thailand

NEWS BITES
A recent survey of senior IT executives found that
more than half of all airlines have major plans for
putting AI to work in the near future.
But dont worry AIs wont be flying the planes. In most cases, theyll
be running chatbot services. What is a chatbot? Its a computer program
that holds a digital conversation with you as if it were a real-life customer
service agent.
In the near future, travellers will see more than
their customer service reps on-screen. Norwegian
cruise line Hurtigruten is planning to broadcast live
underwater footage aboard each ship in the fleet.
During each voyage, the cruise line will dispatch autonomous,
underwater drones equipped with HD wide-angled cameras.
The drones will explore the world beneath the ship, beaming
back live, full-colour footage for guests to enjoy.

And its not just in the air where chatbots are gaining
traction. Theyre also proliferating on the ground.
Expedias chatbots are allowing customers to book rooms and manage
bookings without the need to speak to a human representative.
Meanwhile, the South by Southwest chatbot Abby answered 56,000
attendee questions at this years SXSW conference, while IMEXs
Frank made waves in Frankfurt.
While Hurtigruten attempts to make cruising more
exciting, MrGamez is not convinced. The online slots
platform has crunched the numbers to reveal the most
fun travel destinations in the world.
The winning country was the Netherlands, with more fun factors per
square kilometre than any other country. Prague took first place among
cities with among other distinctions a whopping 72 escape rooms.

Of course, not everyone relishes the idea of chatting
to an algorithm. Some providers are pushing back with
even more personalised customer service.
Take Delta Air Lines as an example. Its the first US airline that allows
customers to connect face-to-face with the reservations team through
a video chat platform.
For those able to find their way out of Pragues
burgeoning escape-room scene, this is a great
time to travel the world.
According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international arrivals
were up 6 per cent in the first half of 2017. Thats the strongest half-year
weve seen since 2010. Growth was strongest in the Middle East, Europe
and Africa. Hoorah!
04

MID-LIFERS:
THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT
MARKETERS FORGOT
id-lifers people in their late 40s and 50s
arent getting the respect and attention
they deserve. This is the conclusion of
a new report which details how travel
marketers focus on millennials, older baby
boomers and matures, while mid-lifers
who make up 16 per cent of the worlds
population are being ignored at the
travel industrys peril.
Global Mid-Lifers at a Crossroads:
Lifestyles and Market Impact, a new report
from Euromonitor International, finds that
mid-lifers have the highest spending power
of all age groups. Many are at the peak
of their careers, while others may have
received inheritances or made money on
real estate. This makes the group a crucial
market for premium products and services,
including travel.
Born in the 1960s, mid-lifers differ
from their baby boomer generational
cohorts born right after World War II by
embracing the idea of staying active and
continually evolving, no matter their age.
Many are embarking on new careers or
relationships, with divorce more common
at this stage in life.
According to the report, Mid-lifers do
not want to be ignored by businesses, but
news & events
nor do they want to be singled out, stereotyped
or treated in a patronising manner. Marketers
should not assume a one-size-fits-all approach
will work, given the fact that some mid-lifers are
empty nesters, while others are raising younger
children and others are happily single.
The report states that, Mid-lifers should
be targeted in terms of life stage as much as
age. For example, for those harried parents
squeezed between bringing up children and
looking after ageing parents, convenience and
price will be key factors in purchasing decisions.
The report also notes that wellness and
relationships are key to the mid-lifers sense
of happiness, pointing out the groups focus
on improving their health and appearance
through diet, exercise and lifestyle. They are
seeking a better work/life balance, and are
choosing to slow down in general, making them
a ripe segment for the health and wellness
travel market.
Growth in the mid-life segment will only
accelerate the near future, with China accounting
for 26 per cent of the worlds 45-59-year-olds.
Given that China has the biggest and the fastest-
growing mid-lifer demographic, and one with a
penchant for luxury, this is an important market
for the travel industry.
Its time to pay mid-lifers some attention.

AIRBNB SCALES UP
irbnb wants to take over the world
or at least the world of travel. And the
hospitality giants latest forays into luxury
accommodation could help it do just that.
The sharing economys poster child
first signalled its pivot to luxury earlier this
year when it purchased Luxury Retreats
International for a rumoured US$300
million. Then, over the summer, the
company announced plans to debut Airbnb
Lux, which focuses on mega-houses,
mansions and penthouses.
Around the same time, a leak reported
that a new service internally referred to as
Select was planned for a late 2017 roll-out.
To qualify for Select, properties would have
to feature hotel-grade amenities,
such as new and matching bedding;
bottled water, tea or coffee; and
single-use toiletries.
The combined roll-out of Lux
and Select could see Airbnb going
toe-to-toe with premium hotels in
major destinations around the world.
And this has some in the industry
concerned.
However, Jack Ezon, president
of Ovation Vacations in New York,
told Skift that he was more worried
by Airbnb Trips than Lux. The Trips
platform provides personalised,
locally operated activities and tours.
That, to me, is a complete game
changer that can really engage
my territory with unique insider
experiences, he said. Its crazy.
Sometimes their Trips are cheaper
and better than my providers. (For
more on Airbnbs Trips see page 14.)
Airbnb has also hinted that it
will wade into the realm of flights,
grocery delivery, transportation
and restaurant reservations. In the
long run, that diversification could
prove essential. Because despite
$3 billion in funding and a valuation
exceeding $31 billion, Airbnb faces
major hurdles from legislators in
New York, Barcelona, Paris, Miami
and Singapore.
Its too early to say what impact
the new rules will have on Airbnb,
but this string of acquisitions and
new roll-outs may be a move towards
sidestepping regulators.
05

LIGHTS CAMERA
ACTION! estination Canada, the travel marketing arm of the
Why video is an essential
part of any modern
marketing strategy.
Canadian government, was faced with an issue.
When surveyed, German travellers always ranked
Canada highly as a place they wished to visit. But, when
it came down to it, they were just not making bookings.
Looking to spur reservations, Destination Canada
approached a group of influential German YouTube
creators. They invited them to Canada, arranging special
trips, including swimming with beluga whales, cruising
at Niagara Falls, kayaking in national parks and enjoying
fresh local seafood.
The videos were shared by the YouTube creators,
racking up more than 17 million views. Destination Canada
was determined to make sure Germans actually ended
up booking holidays, so they made use of retargeting,
delivering targeted online display ads to the viewers
based on the content of the video they had just watched.
Following the campaign, in the first half of 2016,
Canada saw an 11 per cent increase in visits from Germany
and is now considering extending the campaign to other
target countries. This case serves as a great example of
the power of video in an integrated marketing campaign.
WHY VIDEO?
Video content really is a perfect tool for the hotel and
travel industry. Its ability to inspire is unmatched by any
other medium. According to Google, two thirds of US
travellers watch online videos when thinking about taking
a trip and three-fifths of those who watched online videos
used it to narrow down their brand, destination or activity
choices. This use of video early on in the travel planning
journey makes it a fantastic medium for getting your brand
known to potential guests over your competitors.
Video also works very well in supporting other
marketing channels. Research shows that users spend on
average an extra two minutes on websites that include
videos, that videos increase click-through rates on emails
by two-thirds and that engagement with and shares of
video posts on Facebook are significantly higher than
with other types of content.
THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS
Despite the benefits of video, just creating video content
is far from a surefire route to success. With 300 hours
of content uploaded to YouTube every minute, the
competition for viewer attention is intense. Its also
important to note that successful videos are not the ones
that focus on what you want to say about your hotel
or destination, but the ones that inspire and entertain
potential guests.
Target your ideal guests
Any video marketing campaign needs to start with a clear
understanding of the target guest and what they are
looking for. What message will they most respond to? Are
they looking for action and adventure? Are they looking
to explore new cultures? Are they looking to relax and
get away from it all?
Produce the right content for the right stage of the travel
planning process
Video content needs to meet the needs of travellers at
different stages of their travel planning process. First,
inspire travellers about the destination. Second, inform
them about the various activities they can do during their
trip. Finally, encourage them to book with your hotel or
resort by posting an engaging brand video. At each step
of the travel-planning process, your brand needs to be
there providing travellers with what they need.
Ritu Jugran, PR and Strategy Director, QUO
column
Get it seen
Producing a great series of videos is one
thing, but if nobody sees it, you are just
wasting your time and budget. This is
where it is important to have a strong plan
for video promotion. Your website is the
perfect home for this content and videos
help to reinforce your brand and engage
users. They can also be integrated into
email newsletters and digital brochures.
However, for the widest possible
distribution, social media is where
your focus should be.
YouTube receives 1 billion video views
per day. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
also provide excellent channels for sharing
video content, and videos on these
platforms perform better than any other
type of content. Additionally, with paid
promoted posts, video content can be
pushed to target guests outside of those
who currently follow your accounts.
Make sure its integrated
Video marketing shouldnt be employed
on its own. It works best when it is
integrated into a multi-media marketing
strategy. It should be targeting the
same potential guests with the same
messages in line with your print and digital
advertising, PR efforts, email newsletters,
events and social media activities.
Use the right formats
Around 85 per cent of video on Facebook is
watched with the sound off. The video that
works on your website may not work with
the audience on Facebook. In the same
way, virtual reality and 360-degree video is
fantastic at exhibitions and on Facebook,
but isnt much use for Instagram and most
website visitors. You must always consider
the limitations of your channels.
How about live streaming your
next event?
Ever thought about short, semi-live video
clips on Instagram Stories or Snapchat that
disappear after 24-hours? Fancy yourself
a Steven Spielberg? Maybe you could do
something similar to JW Marriott with their
Two Bellmen series on YouTube, featuring
movie-like production values. The range of
video formats and channels is constantly
expanding. Before you make any decision
on your video strategy, the most important
thing to consider is where your target
audience is and the type of video content
they are looking for.
TIME TO SHOOT
With videos power to generate excitement
and wonder among travellers, there is no
doubt that it should be an integral part of
any hotel, travel or destination marketing
strategy. However, for it to be most
effective, it needs to be implemented in
a way that outlines how it is created and
used to best meet the demands of the
target market.
06

SUB-ZERO
HOSPITALITY
Are we automating the humanity from hospitality?
ts just before midnight. I sink into the back seat
of the driverless car that just picked me up from
the airport.
Welcome to Sub-Zero Hotel, Mr. Vermeir,
a sensual voice whispers from the roof. Please
select your music from the touchscreen. Your
journey shouldnt take more than 45 minutes.
I jump when I press the seats massage
button by mistake.
Before reaching my destination, my
anonymous baby-sitter gently reminds me
to select, with the bespoke app, the thickness
of my pillow, the temperature of my guest room
and the colour of the mood lighting.
The car comes to a gentle stop in front
of my hotel and the door opens without
a noise. I step out and walk through the
minimalist lobby in the direction of the
elevators. The virtual key I have downloaded
to my smartphone guides me and, when I get
to my room, unlocks the door. A few minutes
later, the doorbell buzzes my luggage has
arrived on an automated trolley.
The room is filled with the scent I chose and
a soft red glow. Ive read somewhere that blue
light messes up the melatonin hormone and
the circadian rhythms that help people sleep.
I verbally trigger the rooms curtains to
close, then slip into the shower, selecting my
ideal water temperature and listening to the
music I selected that flows from the showerhead.
I am singing in the rain.
Later, as I lay down on the bed, the weight of
my body dims the lights. I wonder if the heavier
you are, the quicker the lights turn off.
The next day I am greeted by the murmured
Good morning of my guardian angel. A few
minutes later the coffee machine and the
toaster activate in unison at the pre-set time.
Play Led Zeppelin, Whole Lotta Love ,
I instruct the system. The music is too soft.
Play louder! I yell. I have an important
pitch presentation and this song pumps
me up. I check my Facebook page
and work emails on the television
screen. Its important to stay
connected, after all.
wonder, are we losing the real sense of the word
hospitality?
Definition: The friendly and generous reception
and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.
In the story above, there is not a single human
interaction. We live in a world where human contact
is gradually declining. Whether walking, shopping or
even dining, people are hooked on their smartphones.
People work from home in isolation. In the Western
world, you need to make an appointment well in
advance to see your bank manager. The sophisticated
customer is not duped. This progress is more
about cost savings than service. The vital human
touch is missing.
une bonne
journe
The hospitality sector should learn
from the mistakes the banks made
and are still making. While automation
is an inevitable part of the future, and
in some ways makes our lives easier,
the experience of it can be cold and
impersonal. As automation expands
in hotels, warm and friendly interaction
with staff will become more crucial
than ever.
In 2016, J.D. Power completed
their North America Hotel Guest
Satisfaction Study. In response to the
results, Rick Garlick, the companys
global travel and hospitality practice
leader, explains, When guests no
longer see added value in the quality
of amenities they receive, the only
option to truly differentiate a brand
is to develop a strong service culture
that makes guests feel special
and appreciated.
Adding weight to this is a survey
commissioned by Oracle Hospitality
on human engagement versus the
convenience of technology. Seventy-
two per cent of respondents prioritised
staff helpfulness as very or extremely
important for the satisfaction of their
stay. Furthermore, 60 per cent stated
that they would prefer to speak to a real
member of staff at the front desk.
These results highlight what
anyone with a true understanding of
the meaning of hospitality could tell
you: people crave genuine human
Pierre Vermeir, Creative Director, QUO
column
???
How does
he know
I speak
French?
Passez
AS AUTOMATION EXPANDS
IN HOTELS, WARM AND
FRIENDLY INTERACTION
WITH STAFF WILL BECOME
MORE CRUCIAL
THAN EVER.
interaction. It is the reason many of us
travel in the first place to meet new
people and experience the welcoming
hospitality of other cultures.
So, what does this mean for
technology and Sub-Zero Hotel?
Well, the march of technological
progress will certainly not come to a
halt. History tells us that we would be
fools to think otherwise. Obviously, if
technology can make a guests stay
more convenient, then it should be
welcomed. However, during our rush
to automate everything in the hotel,
let us not forget why people develop
strong bonds with particular hotel
brands and keep coming back time
and again. Its not the automated
curtains and coffee machines, but the
friendly and helpful hotel staff that go
the extra mile to make our stays as
enjoyable as possible.
Passez une bonne journe,
the two-foot tall robot concierge
says. I wonder how he knows
I speak French.
07

DESIGNING
PROFIT ABILITY
Smart website
design means
more than just
making it look nice.
nline travel agents (OTAs).
You love that they help
significant numbers of guests
book at your hotel, but those
commission fees just dont
feel right. Whats more: what
happens to the fantastic
brand you created that is
perfectly tailored to appeal to
your target guests? On OTA
websites, hotels are reduced
to pretty much just a basic
comparison of price, location
and amenities. There is very
little space left for an original
brand to shine through.
You have almost become
a commodity.
For these reasons, the
ultimate aim is to obtain
commission-free direct
bookings through your hotels
own website. This is where
smart website design really
shows its value.
Through testing,
retesting and yet more
testing of websites, a set of
guidelines has been built
that professional website
designers use to significantly
boost the number of visitors
who actually convert and
make a direct booking.
EXPRESS YOUR BRAND
Your site as a whole should embody the mission and culture of your hotel and show visitors
how you are different. Each page should feature content that clearly portrays its purpose.
There should be a distinct sense of style, whether you are going for a sophisticated look
or a laid-back vacation vibe.
BE QUICK
Worse than someone who comes to your website
and doesnt make a booking is someone who doesnt
even reach your website to start with. Forty per cent of
website users say they abandon a website that takes
more than three seconds to load. Part of any loading
delay is server speed, but website design also has a
major impact on loading time. High-resolution images,
video and advanced design features all slow down a
website. You need an experienced designer to ensure
that image and video weights are compressed and
advanced design used sparingly to keep things fast.
GRAB ATTENTION
Research shows that the vast majority of users will
abandon a website within the first 10 seconds if they
dont get a good feeling from it. This makes the design
of the home page incredibly important. As soon as the
site loads, it should enchant the guest and convince
them that the rest of the website will provide them with
what they are looking for. A good idea is to feature a
wow hero image or video that encapsulates what
you want the guest to know about the hotel.
MAKE IT INTUITIVE
Visitors come to your website with a clear purpose.
It is important to make the experience as easy as
possible for them. The navigation of the website
needs to be simple. Approximately 25 per cent of
users report leaving a website because it is too
hard to navigate. Users especially shouldnt have to
search for the Book button. It needs to be on virtually
every page, prominently positioned and visible at all
times. Using a bright colour that contrasts with the
surrounding space ensures it catches the eye.
PERSONALISE
A website should be designed to appeal to target
guests. Are you looking to attract business travellers,
young families, couples or groups of friends? The
design needs to reflect that through the choice
of images, styles and colours. Users will book if
they feel a connection with the hotels brand. With
modern websites, the content and layout that is
presented can change depending on the users IP,
so you can target geographic areas and returning
visitors. Personalisation is the key to making a deeper
connection with a user and encourage bookings.
I
P
H
Benjawan Intrasuwan, Head of Digital, QUO
column
W
E
B
A
L
A
I
C
A
BE RESPONSIVE
Your website must adapt to different devices. With
the massive proliferation of smartphones, a major
proportion of the visitors to your website will be
viewing it on a device that is not a desktop computer.
If your website is not responsive and has not
been designed to look good when displayed on
a smartphone screen, you will frustrate and lose
many of your visitors.
SHARE EXPERIENCES
One of the most important parts of your website is
engaging content, and one of the most important
forms of content is photography. Photos and videos
should be professional, tell a story and deliver a
strong message. Hotels can also use blogs to build
the brands narrative, give exciting updates and inform
guests about events and attractions in the area. Your
content should be professional, informative and
entertaining. Your website is the digital front door to
your hotel. If you cant wow a guest online then they
will assume your hotel has nothing exciting to offer.
PROVIDE SOCIAL PROOF
Around 78 per cent of people trust peer
recommendations, but only 14 per cent trust
commercial advertising. Many people will not book
a hotel until they have first checked out reviews from
fellow travellers. If a user has to leave your website to
find these reviews, there is a big chance they wont be
coming back. Integrating guest reviews into a website
helps to give potential guests the reassurance they
need to make a booking. Sites like TripAdvisor provide
the ability to insert review widgets into hotel websites
so visitors can check reviews without leaving the site.
MEASURE AND TEST
Optimising a website is an ongoing process. Its
important that usage is measured and analysed to
spot areas where people are dropping out, getting
frustrated and not doing what you want. Running
constant tests to see what works and what doesnt
and making relevant changes will increase the
percentage of visitors making bookings. Google
famously ran a test using 41 different shades of blue
for their advertising links. The result for Google was
USD200 million per year in increased revenue.
08
I HEART 13 MONTHS OF SUNSHINE ITS
POSSIBLE TRULY ASIA 100% PURE WHAT
HAPPENS HERE, STAYS HERE AWAY WITH
WORDS EVERYTHING IS HERE BEST
ENJOYED SLOWLY POWERED BY NATURE
AWAY WITH
BE OUR GUEST MUCH MOR ITS ALL
ABOUT YOU WHERE DREAMS COME TO
LIFE JUST DO IT A DIAMOND IS FOREVER
WORDS
AMAZING THAILAND ITS MORE FUN
IN THE PHILIPPINES FEEL WELCOME
CREATE. COLLABORATE. COMMIT WHERE
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER
diamond is forever. Fact or De Beers advertising?
Well never really know; were too busy buying into
the idea that a two-carat diamond is essential in
establishing eternity with a beloved.
Just do it. Do what? Who cares! Whatever it is, it
can be achieved as long as you are dressed head-to-toe
in Nikes swoosh-emblazoned apparel.
For decades, taglines have been an essential element
of a brand, allowing companies to communicate their
culture while adding value to their product. Cool name
notwithstanding, a tagline tells the world, in so many
words, how awesome your product is.
De Beers and Nike demonstrate the right way to
write a tagline. Theyve figured out how to convey their
value in one short phrase, how to tug at heartstrings
and infiltrate the consumer mindset in ways both
subtle and in-your-face.
But theres also a growing school of thought that
considers the tagline a relic of a bygone marketing era
and that its demise is inevitable. The rise of viral content
and the shortening of attention spans have, within the
last few years, contributed to this irrevocability. In the
past, advertisers may have needed to summarise lengthy
ad copy with a short line. But these days, even
a catchy three-worder is at risk of taking up
too much space.
In todays media, the most common advertising
real estate is a small mobile phone screen, and much
of a brands verbal messaging is constrained by a
140-character limit or six seconds of video, writes Denise
Lee Yohn in The Death of the Tagline, which appeared
way back in the September 9, 2013 edition of Adweek.
A tagline would dominate communication in these
formats and crowd out the brand logo or the ad-specific
message Advertisers have realised that a targeted
social media campaign or underground word of mouth
can produce the same kind of impact, if not better, as a
big anthem-esque TV spot or high-profile print campaign.
So with fewer traditional big campaigns requiring them,
taglines have diminished.
Its not all bad news for the tagline. Take a look at the
tourism and hospitality industry. Destinations all over the
world are spending millions to come up with that one
magical catchphrase that communicates across cultures
to entice travellers to their shores.
For years, Thailand has ridden the popularity
of the Amazing Thailand slogan. When the campaign
initially launched in 1998, visitor arrivals to the country
increased 7.53 per cent to 7.76 million. The following year,
that figure rose a further 10 per cent. Thailand has milked
the possibilities and the memorability of this simple
phrase over the years; by the time the 2000s rolled in,
the country was seeing annual tourist arrivals soar over
10 million.
In 2012, the Philippines launched the Its More
Be Our Guest - Turkey / Much Mor - Morocco / Its All About You - Ukraine / Where Dreams Come to Life - Qatar
What Happens Here, Stays Here Las Vegas / Everything is Here - Honduras / Best Enjoyed Slowly - Latvia / Powered by Nature - Norway /
Answers: I Heart - New York City / 13 Months of Sunshine - Ethiopia / Its Possible - South Africa / Truly Asia - Malaysia / 100% Pure - New Zealand /
Fun in the Philippines campaign. Within
weeks, it was dubbed the third-smartest
campaign in the world by global marketing
campaign ranker Warc 100. That same
year, the Philippines drew in 4.27 million
visitors, a record high for the country at
the time. Part of the campaigns success
has been attributed to its timing with
the explosion of microblogs and the
Twitterverses obsession with hashtags
the catchphrase trended when it was first
launched and it instantly became an
Internet meme.
When it comes to hotels, the power
and reach of a good tagline may not be
as quantifiable as a destination slogan,
but its still significant, particularly when
it accompanies the launch of a new
campaign or when its used to fortify
company expansion.
Case in point: French hospitality
brand Accor, which changed its name to
AccorHotels in 2015. To coincide with this
name change, the group came up with a
new slogan to encapsulate the essence
of its signature brand of hospitality. The
uptight old tagline Open New Frontiers
in Hospitality was replaced by the warm
and inviting Feel Welcome. Its new slogan
drops the jargon to offer the brands
trademark generosity to all its audiences:
customers, employees and partners.
Recently, eco-luxe resort Song Saa
rearranged its company structure under
new umbrella brand, Song Saa Collective.
It became necessary to switch from the
CAN YOU MATCH THE TAGLINE WITH THE DESTINATION?
TA G L I N E
I Heart
13 Months of Sunshine
Its Possible
Truly Asia
100% Pure
What Happens Here, Stays Here
Everything is Here
Best Enjoyed Slowly
Powered by Nature
Be Our Guest
Much Mor
Its All About You
Where Dreams Come to Life
Ana G. Kalaw, Former Senior Copywriter, QUO
column
resort-centric tagline Luxury That Treads
Lightly to Create. Collaborate. Commit.,
a line more reflective of the collectives
diverse endeavours, which range from
property development to sustainable
fashion and interior design.
All hotels need to refresh their brand
to remain relevant and these days its
done with as much fanfare as the Internet
and social media will allow. Sheraton,
who hadnt run a new commercial in
close to 10 years, last year woke from its
slumber to launch a USD100 million brand-
revitalisation campaign that combined TV,
print and digital.
Dave Marr, who was the global
brand leader for Sheraton Hotels &
Resort at the time, told Skift, The driving
force behind the Sheraton brands new
marketing campaign comes across
directly in our tagline, Where Actions
Speak Louder. The chains revitalisation
entailed Sheratons new visual identity
and redesigned website, Sheraton.com;
the launch of premier Sheraton Grand
properties and a new upscale lobby bar
menu. In other words, the tagline was
part of a 360 reinvention.
As with any tagline, Where Actions
Speak Louder might be the perfect slogan
to support Sheratons changes, but copy
is only part of the brand equation. As
hoteliers, marketing experts, branding
agencies and consumers all know it
doesnt matter what the words are if the
product itself doesnt speak as loud.
D E S T I N AT I O N
South Africa
Latvia
Ukraine
Ethiopia
Norway
Morocco
Turkey
New York City
Las Vegas
Honduras
New Zealand
Qatar
Malaysia
09
 SOMETHINGS
BREWING IN
CEYLON Local hoteliers take on the big brands in an effort to forge
an identity Sri Lanka can call its own.
here is a story written in the skyline of Colombo.
Composed in rising towers of concrete and steel,
it tells the tale of Sri Lankas fledgling hotel
industry one marked by rapid transformation
and lofty ambitions.
The seaside capital, with its colourful blend of
Colonial-era architecture and Buddhist temples, is in
the midst of an unprecedented construction boom.
Driving along Galle Road, it is impossible not to
notice the dozens of cranes that bow over buildings,
structures that will house international hotel brands
looking to ride the countrys post-war resurgence.
Within the next two years, an estimated 4,300
new rooms will come online across the country, the
bulk of those in Colombo itself. For the most part,
these will belong to established global giants like
Hilton and Marriott.
But behind the scenes, a home-grown revolution
is brewing. Driven by ambitious local brands looking
to shake off decades of dormancy, the national
tourism landscape is set to be upended from within.
BACK ON THE MAP
Sri Lanka has all the hallmarks of a success story in
the making. After being largely isolated from the world
during its three-decade civil war, the country is on
its way to becoming one of Asias most sought-after
destinations. Four Sri Lankan properties even beat
out 675 global competitors to make the Cond Nast
Traveler 2017 Hot List, announced earlier this year.
In the eight years since the war ended, Sri Lanka
has recorded promising year-on-year growth in
inbound visitors, with 2012 breaking the US$1 billion
mark in tourist revenue a figure
that has more than tripled in the time
since, according to Sri Lanka Tourism
Development Authority data.
Everyones focusing on
tourism right now, says Emanuel
Abeyewardene, director at Closenberg
(Pvt) Ltd. Its one of the main industries
the government is promoting, so there
are a lot of places opening, most in the
high-end and mid-range sector.
Fuelled by this support, the total
contribution of tourism and travel to
GDP is expected to reach 13.5 per cent
in 2027 (up from 11.4 per cent last year),
as international tourist arrivals are
tipped to total 4,968,000.
Tourist arrivals have already more
than doubled since 2012, when the
figure first passed the one million mark.
And those visitors are spending more
and staying longer, too receipts per
tourist have risen 63 per cent in that
same period, while nearly 41 per cent
of tourists now stay eight to 14 nights
in the country.
With these figures, its hardly
surprising that big brands are rushing
to put down roots.
WILD EXPANSION
The list of hotels set to open their
doors in the coming years is a long
one, and their locations diverse.
No longer confined to the traditional
tourist areas of Colombo and the
southwest, they are looking to pioneer
the beaches and jungles of the east
and north.
Marriott International already has
four properties in development under
its Sheraton, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton
brands. The 24-storey Mvenpick
Hotel Colombo opened its doors in
January, while Hilton plans to launch
six new properties across the country
by 2021.
To accommodate the growing
influx of foreign travellers, Terminal 1
at Bandaranaike International Airport
is likely to be expanded by 2019,
increasing its capacity to 15 million
passengers annually, well over double
the current six million.
While it all spells success for
the Sri Lankan economy, there are
disconcerted murmurings over the
countrys focus on the luxury segment.
More than 3,600 of the 4,300 hotel
rooms in the countrys pipeline are
categorised as luxury or upscale, with
the mid-range and budget segments
underserved.
This is despite numbers indicating
there are more budget and mid-scale
travellers arriving.
10

Mvenpick Hotel Colombo
Closenberg Hotel
For local hotel and travel brands with agility and
vision, this gap poses a ripe opportunity to innovate.
RISE OF THE DISRUPTORS
Im basically chasing the market thats already identity leverages local culture to
coming through, says Ravi Bandaranaike, owner
of two Colombo bed-and-breakfasts. Its a missed
opportunity [for others] in a sense.
When Ravi opened his first guesthouse, the
mural-covered surfer-style Drift BnB, three years
ago, it was the first of its kind. Now, he estimates
that up to 40 new copycat establishments have
opened in Colombo alone. His customers make
up part of that burgeoning underserved budget-
to-midscale demographic backpackers who are
broke after travelling for six months and travellers
who would rather spend less on accommodation
and more on experiences.
At the other end of the spectrum, Emanuels
Closenberg Hotel demonstrates you dont have
to be a cool B&B to innovate. An 1860 British
mansion built on an even older Dutch fortalice in
Galle Harbour, the hotel could comfortably rest
on its heritage laurels, but Emanuel and his team
want to take brand Closenberg in a more modern
direction, while still playing up its colonial charm.
The most obvious manifestation of this is Luna
Terrace an outdoor event space with an electric-
blue bar overlooking the hotels lavish 180-degree
infinity pool. A platform for cutting-edge art, music
and culture, it plays host to local and international
DJs, pool parties, gallery events, book readings
and studio sessions. The aim is to eventually set
up a professional music studio here.
The Galle Face Hotel Group has also given
Drift BnB
some of its existing properties a
more modern edge by rolling out
the Ekho brand. Shifting the focus
to experiential travel, the new Ekho
offer an immersive Sri Lankan stay.
Less a complete overhaul than an
infusion of fresh ideas, the changes
put the emphasis on delivering an
authentic local experience.
Then there are several new
brands in the pipeline set to shake
up perceptions of what a Sri Lankan
hotel and travel experience should
look like.
Malinga Arsakularatne, Managing
Director at Hemas Leisure Travel
Aviation Group, says the industry
cannot afford to stay idle. He says the
past few years of growth have set a
solid foundation for the industry. But
as competition grows, the onus is
on local brands to venture into new
territory to broaden and enhance the
Sri Lankan hotel experience.
Sri Lanka is in huge demand
as a destination, which presents
many growth opportunities. But it is
also attracting new players to the
market place, he says. The only
way forward for us is to bring in fresh
blood and fresh thinking. We need
to change the perception of what
Sri Lankan tourism is all about. And its
up to local players like us to lead that
Bek van Vliet, Content Director, QUO
Dane Halpin, Brand Strategist, QUO
feature
Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa
Ekho Safari Hotel
change, and redefine the landscape
of Sri Lanka tourism.
NATURAL PROGRESSION
The key to Sri Lankas long-term
success rides on the protection of
its assets. Development is already
creeping along the coastline, with the
government courting big overseas
investors for golf courses and luxury
chains, and smaller foreign operators
descending upon the tiny surf towns.
Local innovators must work
together to steer development in
a sustainable direction.
Thanks to a war that inadvertently
protected the countrys natural
reserves by preventing industrialisation,
Sri Lankas jungles and beaches are
still intact. So while eco-travel has
proven a marketable trend around the
globe, in Sri Lanka the movement is
crucially important.
It is essential, as Ravi says, to
grow things positively. Innovators
should look to countries with an
environmentalist approach to tourism,
such as Bhutan or Costa Rica.
For Emanuel, its important that
Sri Lankans continue to offer Sri Lanka
to visitors.
Weve got so much amazing flora
and fauna. We should open up and
really, truly focus on what we have in
our backyard.
11
INDIE
VS
BIG-NAME
BRAND
In a rapidly changing hospitality
sector, we weigh up the differences
between signing with a major
hotel chain and going solo.
12

ign up with one of the international hotel
chains or create your own independent
brand? This is one of the most important
decisions a hotel owner or developer will
make. As the hotel and travel industry
undergoes major changes, old assumptions
need to be reconsidered. Choosing which
way to go is not as clear-cut as it once was.
In years gone by, a hotel developer
would invariably sign a deal with one of the
big international hotel chains to leverage
their brand and utilise their management
team. The hotel chain would bring with it
international brand recognition, consistent
brand standards, standard operating
procedures and advance-booking systems.
The various fees may have been rather
high, but this was considered the best way
to achieve reliable success.
However, the hotel and travel industry
has seen massive changes over the past
few years and some hotel developers
are now considering if creating their own
independent hotel brands might be the
more lucrative option.
THE FICKLE GUEST
One of the biggest changes the travel
industry has seen is in the desires and
priorities of travellers. Before, in a world
where there was a lack of readily available
information on the quality of hotels in lesser-
known destinations, guests felt reassured
when they saw the flag of a big international
brand flying above the hotel. The brand was
a necessary source of information for the
guest, regarding the standards that could
be expected at that property.
The days of needing to stay at an
international chain in order to be assured
of quality are over. The Internet provides
all of us with a wealth of information. Going
to Singapore? Open the TripAdvisor or
Booking.com app on your phone and check
out the reviews of people who have actually
stayed there. Instantly see which hotels are
getting the best ratings and reviews for the
price you are willing to pay. Research shows
that more than 95 per cent of guests these
days take online reviews into account when
making their booking decisions.
Guests are getting savvier, explains
Cyndy Tan Jarabata, CEO and president
of Tajara Hospitality. Not only are they
empowered to decide on their choice
of hotel, but they have the capacity to
influence their peers. Social media has
become a huge part of their travel.
Now that its easy to ensure hotel quality,
travellers are shifting their priorities to other
issues, such as unique guest experiences or
immersing themselves in the local culture.
The hotels that are providing both high
standards and unique guest experiences are
the ones receiving the best online reviews
and, therefore, the most guests.
Horwath HTLs James Chappell
explains, Once [the fundamentals of price
and location] have been addressed and
assuming there is a choice, guests will
choose a well-designed, interesting product
nine times out of 10. An original product
outside of the major brands should give
a healthy rate premium for the owner if,
and its a big if, they have the operational
chops to carry it off.
MARKETING AND TECH
Access to a distribution network used to
be one of the major benefits gained from
a deal with a big international hotel chain,
ensuring a steady stream of guests loyal
to the hotel brand. However, with the
explosive growth of online travel agencies,
along with a host of digital marketing
techniques, this is no longer as important
as it once used to be. The main drawback
of this is that OTAs have significant
commission fees, and hotels certainly
want to avoid relying on them too much
for bookings. (See page 8 of this issue
of Status QUO for a discussion on how
to design your hotel website to achieve
maximum direct bookings).
One of the ways in which chains
maintain an advantage is via their customer
loyalty programmes. The loyalty incentives
have yet to be beaten by the OTAs, and
independent hotels have little chance of
replicating such schemes. However, it can
be debated as to how much of an effect
additional membership points have on
travellers decisions, as research shows
that nearly 50 per cent of hotel loyalty
members annual hotel spending is on
properties outside the chain they belong to.
Historically, another benefit of
partnering with a chain over operating
independently is having access to the
technology that the chains use, as well
as the budget they have to invest in new
technology. Recently however, this has
been countered by the rise of software as
a service (SaaS), where software is paid
for on a monthly or annual basis, reducing
initial capital outlays and allowing for
easy cancellation another boon for
the independent operator.
HANDLING THE DAY TO DAY
A further part of the package with a big
hotel chain is the management contract.
An owner without experience of running
a hotel can hand over day-to-day
management to the chain. The chain brings
along a complete set of tried-and-true
standards, as well as the management staff
to implement them. The flip side of this is
that the way the hotel is run lies completely
in the hands of the chain, with very little
room for the owner to have a say, much less
experiment or deviate from international
standards. Maybe the flowers in the lobby
are allowed to be a local variety and the
bathroom soap to have a slightly different
aroma, but not a whole lot more than that.
Cyndy explains: I deal with a lot
of hands-on young owners and their
key concerns are how cash is managed
by the operator and how effective the
operators management team is. Its
recycled manpower; this way of managing
operations lacks entrepreneurial skills.
According to Horwath HTLs Jonas
Ogren, There are three important and
fundamental questions each hotel property
owner should consider before deciding
to engage a management company.
1. Are they, as an owner, willing and able
to trust and work with a third party
to manage their property without
interfering in day-to-day operations?
Nicholas Day, Former Senior Communication Manager, QUO
feature
2. Given current and future market conditions and
a competitive landscape, and its overall property
attributes, to what extent would the property benefit
from a known international brand?
3. Given their own knowledge, resources and capabilities,
is it likely that the property would perform better
financially, even with management and other fees,
under an international management company than
it would if the owner managed it themselves?
If the answers to these questions suggest its better to
engage a management company, the rest is simply a matter
of a) finding a partner where there is trustand chemistry,
b) deciding on a brand that fits, and c) negotiation of terms.
There is, however, another way to obtain high-quality
management without giving up control. Numerous white
label third-party hotel operators can be hired to run a hotel
professionally. Many have high operating standards, just
like the international chains, but there is more room for
customisation to match the needs of the individual property
and target market.
Another issue with the franchise and management
contracts signed with large chains is that most of them
are very long and the cost of terminating an agreement
is usually very high. If an owner wishes to sell a hotel
that is under contract with one of the large chains, it
normally needs to be sold with the contract in place,
potentially reducing the value of the hotel as an asset.
Meanwhile, creating an independent brand can add value
to a property. The building of a brand creates an asset
that can then be sold later, rather than just given up
once a franchise agreement ends.
THE VALUE OF A BRAND
All of these points are interesting, but what does the
research say about the actual performance of chain-
branded versus independent hotels? According to
research by John W. ONeill and Mats Carlback published
in the International Journal of Hospitality Management,
over a full economic cycle, chain-branded hotel properties
achieve significantly higher occupancy rates during
all phases. However, the research also shows that
independent hotels achieve higher average daily rates
(ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPar) than the
chain branded hotels. When looking at net operating
income (NOI) in times of economic growth, both types of
hotel achieve similar results. However, during economic
downturns, chain-branded hotels outperform their
independent counterparts.
According to the research, Brand matters, and brand
seems to matter more when times are bad because brands
may reduce the volatility of the business and present a less
risky investment. But, the authors added, hotels in unique
locations or with historic value are better able to manage
on their own without an international chain attachment.
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION
Theres no definitive rule, but Cyndy Tan Jarabata
recommends an international hotel brand if the location of
the hotel is highly competitive, city-centric, has over 300 keys
or is part of a mixed development. However its a different
story for a resort, as there is naturally more room to be
creative, playful and unique when creating your own brand.
Cyndy adds that, For rollouts of three
or more properties, theres an economy of scale, and I
would recommend being independent as theres autonomy
in decision-making and the ability to be agile. Of course,
the business in that case needs a proper management
team and distribution set-up.
At the end of the day, the decision to join a chain brand
or create an independent brand is not an easy one. Both
options have their pros and cons. Which option to go with
will depend on the priorities of the owner, the specific local
environment and, most importantly, the demands of the
guests in the target market.
13
 JOES
VERSUS
PROS
Airbnbs Trips places local experiences
in the hands of amateurs, but we find
the pros still hold a host of advantages.

14

he first time I hosted friends in Bangkok
seems like a lifetime ago. The year was
2009, President Barack Obama had
just been sworn in, James Camerons
Avatar was the years highest-grossing
film and I became an adhoc guide for
six energetic millennials.
At the time, I felt such pressure to
make sure my friends ate, saw, smelled
(durian), waid and tried everything. It was
their first visit to Thailand, and they were
counting on me to deliver an authentic
local experience. (Little did I know how
much those three words would impact
my career today.)
Looking back, my biggest takeaway
is that most travellers desire an element
of the extraordinary: something unique,
captivating and memorable that they
can recall for years to come. In order to
provide that, I had to gauge their particular
appetites for adventure and plan our
itinerary accordingly.
But what if they didnt conveniently
have a local buddy on-hand how would
their trip have turned out? Perhaps with
the help of the Internet and published
travel guides they would have been OK.
Better yet, they might have sought out
their hotels concierge for sightseeing
ideas, discussed Bangkoks best street
food stalls with a local waitress or
discovered the neighbourhood temple
after chatting with an all-knowing, ever-
smiling doorman.
Having a good friend as an insider
guide has to be the best-case scenario for
a traveller. After all, part of an authentic
experience is genuine face-to-face human
contact. And it is that very notion that
makes Airbnbs latest platform, Trips,
something to keep an eye on.
PAVING A NEW PATH
In what seems like a natural extension of
Airbnbs mottos of Live There, Welcome extension of the New York City-based
Home and Belong Anywhere, Trips gallery) to monthly themed events
enables plucky locals, and even non-profit
organisations, to share their insights,
passions and cultures with curious
travellers. Made to tap into Airbnbs already
substantial global network of hosts and
guests, Trips is motivated by the fact that,
as Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says, You
can spend as much time planning your
trip as on your trip. The new offering is
something the company says will fix this
problem, giving travellers authentic local
experiences while freeing up the time
usually spent researching and arranging
said experiences.
Experience Hosts, as theyre calling
these local insiders, cant just be any
regular Joes. They must be creative,
expressive, welcoming and, most
importantly, not think of themselves as
tour guides. This extends to the types of
experiences hosts should offer. Airbnb
challenges them to create an experience
that your guests wouldnt be able to find
on their own.
The latter point is perhaps the most
essential trait of Trips. Because, regardless
of what travellers wish to do dive with
sharks, hunt truffles, learn Dominican
bachata dance - it is still easiest (and
safest) for them to ask their hotel to
arrange it.
The reason Trips is such an exciting
prospect is that many hotels either arent
prepared, or are too mired in convention,
to cater to travellers growing appetites for
off-the-beaten-path adventures.
The majority of hotels and tour groups
continue to peddle generic tours that
dont quite fulfil expectations or inspire the
imagination. This is to their peril, as more
forward-thinking operators are taking
a leaf from Airbnbs playbook, realising
they need to offer distinct, bespoke
experiences if they are to sell their tours.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
Airbnb has already had a profound
impact on the industry, and although it
is less than a year old, Trips is shaking
up expectations and business models in
the hospitality and travel world. To the
benefit of travellers everywhere, this has
been a motivating factor for all operators,
from independent properties to global
brands, to invest more into creating, and
enhancing, their own experience offers.
NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR
THIS INDUSTRY, ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN:
IT DOESNT PAY TO LATHER, RINSE AND REPEAT.
While some are catching up,
others are already well on their way.
West Hollywoods Sunset Marquis is
leveraging its rock-n-roll reputation to
tap into experiential travellers. From
making their famous underground
recording studio available to guests and
adding the Morrison Hotel Gallery (an
focused on music and artists, the
Sunset Marquis has proven that hotels
can more than compete with the
independent local insider host.
Perceptive guides and guest
experience managers at hotels may
even employ Trips as an additional
platform because if you cant
beat em, join em.
Multinational hotel groups with
brands that showcase local culture
and design, such as IHGs Indigo or
AccorHotels MGallery, are also a step
ahead, and should have little difficulty
adapting and even innovating.
Still, while some will rise to the
occasion, there will undoubtedly be
a thinning of the herd.
Local tour companies dependent
on standard one-day trips may have to
go back to the drawing board. I doubt
anyone will miss those loud, flag-waving,
time-keeping tour guides, their military-
strict sightseeing schedules and their
cold, uncomfortable minibuses.
No matter what the future holds for
this industry, one thing is for certain: it
doesnt pay to lather, rinse and repeat.
Victoria Lilian Arnold, Brand Strategist, QUO
feature
HOTELIERS VS. HOSTS
While independent hosts have agility going for them,
hospitality expertise and training is not to be taken
lightly. The very purpose of Airbnb is to connect
regular people to, well, regular people not seasoned
hospitality professionals. While there will always
be outstanding, generous indie hosts, hoteliers as
a whole still set the standard for service and care.
A team of in-tune, dedicated specialists is better
equipped to serve. And judging by the expansion of
their training programmes and the growing intensity of
their experience proposal vetting, Airbnb knows this.
Consumers and industry experts should not
discount the value of brand standards, service and
operations guidelines, job experience and ethical
requirements. Each assures guests of respect and
fair treatment.
Being a hotelier entails so much more than
checking-in guests, offering poolside service or even
being a local discovery guide. It is a specialised role
that demands expert precision, commitment to guest
experiences, passion for service, creative innovation
and enthusiasm for each and every guest. Hoteliers,
whether seasoned or newly minted, have a very real
stake in delivering the best services to guests.
For Airbnb, whose hosts are probably not
seasoned hospitality experts, maintaining standards
will be an ongoing challenge.
Last year, the company came under fire over
its hosts ability to refuse potential bookings
based on guests race, nationality, age, gender
and more. A study published in May by Rutgers
University, based on nearly 4,000 Airbnb booking
requests, found that bookers with disabilities
were refused at rates higher than people
without disabilities.
While Airbnb has implemented a non-discrimination
policy to reaffirm their commitment to inclusion
and respect, there are obviously still ways
around the language. Currently, the most severe
consequence that rogue Airbnb hosts face is
being removed from the platform. Meanwhile,
Airbnbs reputation suffers.
Naturally, hosts do not have the same connection
or obligations to Airbnb as a hotelier has to their
property and brand.
ASK THE EXPERTS
Did I end up being a good local experience host
for my friends? Much to my relief, they ended up
falling in love with Thailand, and their happiness
was well worth all the planning.
But I cant claim all the credit. While it was easy to
share my enthusiasm for a city so close to my heart,
I had plenty of support.
Thanks to Thailands mature travel industry, I was
able to tap into a well-established infrastructure.
I stole ideas from articles. I scoured top-10 lists. And
every morning while my friends were diving into their
hotels breakfast buffet, I reviewed my itinerary with the
concierge, whose insights and advice were essential
to our holiday.
So while Trips may signal a new era of travel,
its not the end of the tour. The quest for an authentic
local experience is always going to rely on exactly
that: experience.
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