Stephanie Aboujaoude is Radisson Hotel Group’s Senior Area Director of Marketing and Communications, Middle East and Africa.  She is responsible for maximising brand awareness and supporting delivery of the Group’s commercial goals in the area.

 In this write up, she gives insight into trends that would define the  hospitality industry in 2023:

The hospitality industry has showcased not only its resilience over these past few years, but also its ability to adapt to new and challenging environments. It has remained steadfast throughout disruption from the digital age, the emergence of new industry models, and a global pandemic.

However, as a result of these significant shifts faced by the industry in recent years, we’ve also seen consumer expectations change drastically with  products and services taking a backseat to any brand’s ability to create meaningful experiences for, and authentic relationships with, customers.

This has translated into an expectation of deeper care and connection, along with increased engagement and interactivity, from organizations within the industry leading to traditional marketing strategies largely proving ineffective, driving new change in the way that the sector engages and influences travelers.

“As we approach the start of a new year during a time of recovery for the industry alongside a growing appetite for travel, we can expect to see some new and evolving marketing trends emerge within the hospitality industry as it adapts to a consumer base caught between the cautiousness driven by the pandemic and the need to reconnect with friends, family, favorite travel destinations and new experiences,” says Stephanie Aboujaoude for those hospitality brands looking to lay the foundation for success in 2023, three simple principles you can follow which are guiding marketing trends in the industry in the upcoming year include:

Centering people in your marketing campaigns

Consumers today respond much better to personalized communication and experiences that speak to their wants and needs, such as catering to convenience and speed as well as prioritizing quality over quantity.

According to recent research, tomorrow’s travelers are looking to be immersed in local culture and are attracted to destinations that offer unique experiences and activities linked to local customs, traditions and lifestyles. Additionally, as people continue to become more socially conscious about their impact on the world and the environment, travelers are increasingly adopting more sustainable travel practices.

“By creating tailored day-cation and short vacation stays that celebrate all things local, hotels can better cater to the new culturally-sensitive traveler while also embracing and supporting local economies and communities,” Stephanie added “This also enables hotels to offer unique experiences that position them as holiday destinations in and of themselves.”

Leveraging technology to create innovative experiences

Technology has become an extremely powerful tool in creating enthralling experiences within the hospitality industry by melding together both the digital and physical worlds. Today, hospitality brands can make use of technologies such as voice search and control to not only change the way guests interact with travel elements such as activity planning, room temperature control and more but also to create more accessible travel experiences. Additionally, by communicating a hotel’s efforts to make a guest’s stay easier and more convenient through the adoption of technologies that enable simple changes like mobile check-ins or chatbots that enable guests to find information faster and easier, hotels can make themselves significantly more attractive to customers. Even the gamification of planning a stay at a hotel can help to make travel less of a chore while also allowing a hotel to integrate enticing rewards into the process.

“Incorporating virtual reality into the way customers can view and book their rooms online is one of the ways that Radisson Hotel Group are looking at creating new immersive experiences for customers during their first interaction with us, before they’ve even become our guests,” adds Stephanie.

Fun and creative content is king

The quality of marketing content is a crucial element in building trust by clearly communicating what you have to offer consumers and helping to answer any questions they may have. This helps to develop relationships with customers, improve conversions and generate new leads.

In today’s age, content marketing needs to move beyond images and offer more personalized and creative ways to captivate attention, creating unique guest experiences. By tapping into digital content drivers like social media platforms, hospitality brands can make use of video content, influencer marketing and user-generated content to engage with customers more effectively and authentically.

While social media marketing has become a norm within the hospitality industry in recent years, there is still room for hospitality brands to evolve their social media marketing strategies. Over the next year, we can expect to see an increase in sharing content through short-form video with platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram Reels becoming the norm for presenting immersive content.

“Marketing offers the hospitality industry a unique opportunity to build meaningful relationships with its customers and connect with them in an authentic way. But this requires communication through authentic, engaging and rich content that meets customers where they are and gives them the experiences, they not only want but deserve,” she concluded.

Radisson Hotel Group

The Radisson family of brands can be found around the world in more than 120 countries, with currently over 1,700 hotels in operation and under development. Radisson Hotel Group operates the business in EMEA and APAC with over 1,100 hotels in operation and under development. The international hotel group is rapidly growing with a plan to double the portfolio by 2025. The Group’s overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.

The Radisson family of brands portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.

Radisson Rewards is Radisson Hotel Group’s international rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to its guests. Radisson Rewards offers an exceptional experience for its guests, meeting planners, and travel agents in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

 Radisson Meetings provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely 100 per cent Carbon Neutral.

The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group’s portfolio are subject to stringent health and safety requirements, as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol. The Safety Protocol is an integral part of Radisson Hotel Group’s Safety and Security program ensuring we always care for our guests and team members.