May 26, 2022 - 6 min read

The 2022 travel trends hotels need to know about

Impala Editors

The last few years have totally shaken up the predictable patterns that you’ve relied on to run your property. At Impala, we work with hoteliers around the world, and we know that they’ll rarely let an opportunity slide by untapped. So we’ve combed through the data - and checked in with the Impalans talking to hotels every day - to discover the top trends they believe you need to know about right now.

Digital Nomads "Almost every property I speak to is looking for coveted long-stay guests. Hotels that can adapt and market their facilities for this segment are being rewarded with listings on specialist channels like our partner, RemoteDream." ~ Lorenzo Scumaci, Market Manager Stat: Estimates project that 36.2 million Americans alone will be working remotely by 2025.

1. Digital nomads are a different kind of guest, so they require a unique mix of business amenities and at-home convenience. To lure these long-stay guests, hotels should think about how to adapt their offer, and target them through specialist channels.

2. Bleisure travellers need the best of both worlds: the facilities and conveniences to accommodate professional travel while also offering a host of recreational amenities for themselves and their families. Hotels should be aware that more than one in three professionals will turn a business trip into a bleisure getaway.

New Destinations "Saudi Arabia is working really hard on developing itself as a destination. They expect to have Neom built by 2030. It's bound to draw in guests from around the world, away from other destinations." ~ Sonia Palmero, Account Executive Stat: More than half of travellers polled desire a visit to a place that they’ve never visited before.

3. Emerging tourism markets in lesser-visited destinations will entice curious travellers while familiar destinations promoted through a unique or more intimate lens will also evoke a sense of newness. Hotels should embrace any opportunity to showcase the latest developments in their destination to attract returning guests.

Strong, Last-Minute Demand "Travellers are used to a new world of last-minute booking. Revenue Managers need to keep a close eye on demand - and hold their nerve on price - because bookings are coming later than ever." ~ Roman Solyanyk, Area Manager Stat: Some travel search engines are reporting a 50 percent increase in travellers searching for flights within seven days of departure.

4. Demand for travel remains high, though many travellers aren’t restricting their wanderlust to pre-planned holidays. Many are making the decision to travel within days of departure. With strong demand for last-minute trips, hotels need to hold their nerve on revenue management strategy.

Emergence of Super Apps "With Uber announcing their plans to get into selling hotels, we're seeing properties keen to make sure they're reaching the most guests possible. The best distribution strategies are keeping an eye on big new entrants into the OTA business." ~ Gemma Dominguez Cidad, Sales Enablement Manager Stat: Super Apps like WeChat, Alipay, and Grab are already dominating markets throughout China and Southeast Asia, engaging over a billion users.

5. Super Apps are on the rise – and they have the potential to forever change the way we travel. As apps like Uber and WeChat become a one-stop platform for users, hotels and room sellers should engage these audiences at the source. Pivoting distribution strategies directly to Super App users maximises guest reach.

1. Digital Nomads

As if advances in technology hadn’t already amplified opportunities for remote working, the pandemic has dramatically increased the number of digital nomads. Digital nomads live and work remotely, sometimes staying in a single location for as long as six months. We were at ATM recently, and fielded hundreds of questions about this topic.

These long-stay guests have a variety of needs, but ultimately, seek a stay that’s comfortable and convenient. Self-catering options allow at-home living, but properties with amenities like fitness centres, swimming pools, and close proximity to shopping, dining, and entertainment are also a draw for digital nomads. Hotels can tap in to this audience through specialist room sellers like RemoteDream.

Bringing the family on a business trip

2. Bleisure

Bleisure – the blending of business and leisure travel – has been an emergent trend for years - which only continues to grow. Unlike digital nomads who are living and working remotely, bleisure travellers are professionals who parlay either solo or group business trips into a holiday. Some enjoy R&R alone while others bring the family along for a quick jaunt.

The distinction is small but significant. Catering to bleisure travellers means offering the right blend of comfort and convenience while still allowing them to indulge in the amenities they desire. Hotels should showcase the best of both worlds to maximise bleisure traveller bookings.

Istanbul has emerged as a hot destination in recent years

3. New Destinations

As tourism continues bouncing back, many travellers are interested in passing over their usual vacation spot for a place they’ve never been.

It’s vital to understand that “new” destinations will be an evolving term. For example, 2022’s trends include extravagant trips to the Indian Ocean and Antarctica as well as adventures to less popular destinations like Oman and Malawi. Hotels should be aware of how their destination is perceived in different source markets: for example, Brits perceive a trip to Mexico as much more luxurious than Americans do. Properties can segment their sales and marketing: target traditional source markets by showcasing what’s new in the destination; attract guests from new markets by showcasing the destination as a whole.

How long do you hold your nerve before discounting rooms?

4. Strong, Last-Minute Demand

Covid restrictions got travellers used to making last-minute bookings - so they’d avoid having to adjust their plans. But the trend of late decision-making may be here to stay: holidaymakers report that the convenience of seeing the weather forecast and finding the best deal for their trip means the “book” button is being pushed nearer to departure.

This puts hotels in a tricky spot: how long do you hold your nerve before discounting rooms? Late-booking travellers are certainly incentivised by discounted rates, but their primary motivation for making last-minute reservations isn’t price alone. It’s a new world of revenue management, and one that will take a while to become predictable, but the initial evidence suggests that, for now at least, you don’t need to worry about unsold rooms until much closer to the day.

5. Emergence of Super Apps

Super Apps – single apps that offer a number services within their platform – are changing our daily digital lifestyle. Imagine it as a single-stop destination where a user can not only manage their bank account, but book hotels, flights, and car hire, and purchase event tickets, message friends, order groceries, and virtually complete their to-do list without ever leaving the app.

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Super Apps have grown exponentially in Asia, and with PayPal, Uber, and other dominant Western apps moving into the space, hotels need to stay aware of this emerging trend and how it affects the way rooms are booked. Make sure they’re part of your distribution strategy.

At Impala, we believe the best way to seize the opportunities that these trends offer is to build a strategy and distribution infrastructure that is flexible and fast to adapt. Open Distribution allows hotels and room sellers to explore new channels and pivot on a whim. No matter where the next bleisure destination is or which Super App takes the world by storm, you’ll be able to stay ahead of the herd with Impala and Open Distribution.