EHMA is trending

We have entered an era of great change, and it is crucial to understand and capitalise on trends that are predicted to profoundly affect our industry so that we may plan the activities of the hotels we manage. These trends can be placed into two areas: supply and demand.

Concentrating first on demand, one area includes so-called silver-hair tourists. This development is linked to the socio-demographic trend of increasing numbers of the population being above 60 – from 8% in the 1950s to a forecasted 21% in 2050, specifically in China, India and the US. One of our future targets will be developing a number of activities and offerings geared towards satisfying this crucial market segment.

It is forecasted that generation’s Y and Z will account for 50% of total travellers by 2025. They are a constantly evolving market segment, and hotels have to consider these specifics in their strategies. In order to be attractive, our hotels have to present their values, create meaningful brands and be socially responsible.

In this regard, the Young EHMA Project is the result of the association’s need and desire to open up to the younger generation, and to inspire future young leaders in the hospitality industry. The amount of training that is carried out by the members of EHMA is impressive, and we will continue invest even more for the development of our people in the years to come.

The global middle class is expected to grow from 1.8 billion in 2009 to 4.8 billion in 2030. The major part will come from the Asia-Pacific region, mostly in China and India, and this must be acknowledged by our hotels. This segment’s income is constantly increasing, as is their education and English-language skills. As a result, they will gain a level of independence from guided tours, and have easier access to clear and comparable information. This will increase the competition and the relevance of a digital presence. Our challenge as EHMA members is to understand and adapt to the specific needs and requests of this demographic.

The supply segment

Every day, technology is becoming a more integrated part of our lifestyle. People are constantly connected to the digital world, and social media has significantly changed the tourism business. Now and in the future, technology will be a crucial tool that will heavily impact on the guest experience. The industry is always looking to adopt new technologies in order to reshape services and the way they are provided. The challenge will be to provide appropriate technologies for the guest’s needs, and keeping our GMs aware of technological changes will be a top priority for EHMA.

Digital channels will also be a key trend. The whole vacation process begins and ends with the internet – starting with research and data collection, tuning the fine details and, finally, sharing the experiences. Social networks allow interaction, targeted communication and friends’ recommendations as a place to create and share content. The actual and future challenge for our business is represented by the continuous increase of the level of complexity of the digital world.

Taking care of our health is getting more significant. Consequently, destinations focused on spa and medical treatments will grow further in the future. Treatments, exercise, relaxation and healthy diets are already diffused and known segments. Nevertheless, the future will be marked by trends such as spa facilities that are built around the concept of total well-being for physical and mental health goals. There are also more specific developments to be aware of, like room-lighting systems that follow the human biorhythm in order to increase energy levels, while air purification and organic foods are trends in continuous growth. Most of EHMA’s spas are working to create the right offering to provide for the evolving demands of our guests.

Meanwhile, sustainable tourism will only grow in the coming years. This implies respect for local people and tourists, cultural heritage and the environment. EHMA is sensitive to this topic and, for several years, has been promoting a lot of initiatives, such as encouraging the sharing of innovative ideas related to energy saving and the reduction of CO2 emission. For this reason, GMs who have succeeded in implementing and promoting sustainable hospitality actions through environmental protection and preservation are awarded with the EHMA Sustainability Award by Diversey. Another new EHMA project is to have our hotels plastic-free by 2022. We have reduced the use of plastic considerably and the target for 2022 is at hand to be reached.

Understanding and acting on these trends underpins our aim to make EHMA the first source for hotel companies, owners and journalists when they need to obtain the most innovative ideas for the industry.