Future Of Hotels (North America)

06 Sep, 2024

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Executive Summary

Travel, for both business and leisure, is undergoing deep structural changes, shaped by increasing competition, sustainability and evolving consumer demands. Hotels and hotel operators will be forced to abandon their risk-averse nature to adapt to emerging new states of travel. This report explores the barriers that must be overcome, and the technologies and innovations that will characterize the hotel of the future.
Summary for decision-makers
Hotels: business or leisure, and everything in between

Hotel segmentation is evolving to meet diverse traveller needs
Disruptive drivers will spark change in the traditionally slow-evolving hospitality industry
Rapid changes in hospitality and travel drive innovation
Hotel innovation: risk-averse, resource-short and resistant to change 
Future of hotels as an asset class
Hotels must change or be left behind
Hospitality will be forced to adopt more speculative tech
Automation and AI will provide the answer to staffing and labour shortages

Sustainability will be tackled holistically by efficiency technologies
Better use of data will enable personalized and seamless guest experiences

Figure 1. Spectrum of hotel classifications from business to leisure, and their characteristics
Figure 2. Spectrum of hotel classifications from budget to luxury, and their characteristics
Figure 3. Six barriers to technology adoption in hotels
Figure 4. Comparative innovation rates across hotel categories: a radar analysis of five key areas of innovation
Figure 5. Data-driven personalization: a vision for the future of hotels

About the Authors

Ben Readman

Ben Readman

Industry Analyst

Ben is an Industry Analyst covering the real estate sector, with a focus on data centres and hotels. His core research covers more than 100 vendors in the energy efficiency, s...

Claire Stephens

Claire Stephens

Research Director

Claire Stephens is a Research Director at Verdantix, leading research into technologies and services shaping the real estate and the built environment, encompassing ...

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