Much about our current reality is different than it used to be, including how we travel. COVID-19, coupled with a global economic slowdown, is changing people’s priorities. Today’s travelers want to maximize their experiences while minimizing risk, and this is driving the hospitality industry to design new types of spaces.
Given the softer economy, trips are expected to be much shorter than before. According to Travel Daily News International, 78% of travelers are planning trips of four nights or less. On the opposite end of the spectrum, other travelers are looking for a longer stay, such as a temporary home in a rural location where they can still work remotely, with direct access to outdoor activities.
Also, according to findings from Gensler’s U.S. Hospitality Pulse Survey 2020, people are increasingly currently traveling to local destinations and seeking staycation experiences. They’re looking for increased connections to the outdoors — from outdoor amenities and dining to public spaces. And cleanliness is a top priority.
The hospitality industry is grappling with a raft of new expectations and customer behaviors, and many are asking how these will impact design and the role of the hotel.
How pandemics have shaped the built environment
Historically, the symbiotic relationship between cities, architecture, and epidemics has always been complicated; diseases have prompted our cities to morph and progress. The cholera epidemic in the 19th century spurred urban design interventions such as wide boulevards, expansive public parks, and standardized citywide sewage systems. Similarly, the tuberculosis epidemic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries prompted the design of sanatoriums, which later influenced Modernist architecture.
Today’s reality isn’t far from these historical examples. COVID-19 has accelerated the need for a morphological change, which inevitably affects the spaces we inhabit. The Hospitality industry is among the most affected segments impacted by this pandemic.
Here are six hospitality trends that will shape the future of the industry:
1. Flexible use of spaces:
Flexibility and adaptability are key considerations in hotel design. In the immediate term, hotels are being reinvented for “emergency design” interventions, by transforming spaces for medical use and isolation shelter amid COVID-19. Other spaces within hotels, such as lobbies and amenities, should be transformable to accommodate any future threat. Public bathrooms, for example, could be used as “wellness rooms” with showers, nursing areas, cleaning areas, and more.
As we reimagine the future of hotels, guestrooms might be one of the most important spaces to consider. Guestrooms need to be flexible enough to allow people to realize multiple activities within the same space — from working to resting, eating, exercising, or gathering with friends and family. Common spaces will also need to transform to mitigate risks, but still bring people together. Hotels will continue to be beacons of community as they engage and welcome back their communities long after the COVID-19 crisis.