How Hoteliers can attract Gen Z Travellers to reap the benefits
Attracting Gen Z Travellers: A Digital Edge
The hotel industry has hosted many generations throughout history. Today, hoteliers are tasked to turn the spotlight toward Gen Z, young adults born between the late 1990s and early 2010s who are constantly seeking new experiences.
With their unique set of values, expectations, and behaviours, Gen Z travellers are shaking up the status quo. To capture their attention and loyalty, hotels must adapt and embrace the digital revolution that's reshaping the way we experience travel.
Why Should Hotels Appeal to Gen Z Travellers?
The influence of Gen Z on travel trends cannot be underestimated. As the first fully digital-native generation, they have grown up immersed in technology, and their travel preferences reflect this. They prioritize experiences that align with their values, and their decisions are driven by a blend of convenience, sustainability, and authenticity.
Catering to Gen Z travellers isn't just about adapting to a new generation's needs; it's about embracing the future of travel. This generation has the potential to reshape the industry, and hotels that fail to recognise their preferences risk being left behind.
Cracking the Code to Winning Over Hotel Guests of the Future
More than past generations, Gen Z is motivated by social media-worthy experiences, which is why travel has become a currency that is highly regarded. Hoteliers today are faced with packaging themselves in a manner that Gen Z won’t be able to resist. The most successful hotels have done this by doing one thing: giving them what they want, when they want it and how they want it.
The key to capturing the attention of Gen Z travellers lies in delivering a digital experience that resonates with their values and preferences. Here are some strategies that hotels can employ to attract and engage this generation:
Access to Digital Guest Directories at their Fingertips
Gen Z travellers have grown up with smartphones as extensions of themselves. By providing digital guest directories, hotels can ensure that all the information their guests need is readily available at their fingertips. This eliminates the frustration of searching for physical brochures or guides, provides convenience and enables guests to make the most of their stay.
Give them all the information they could ever need and want in a single platform, in the palm of their hand, in an instant! Guests will have the ability to book services, get access to hotel facilities, reserve a table at the restaurant, and general information about the local area through a digital guest directory.
Real-Time Requests with Mobile Concierge
Instant gratification is a hallmark of Gen Z's digital upbringing. Hotels can cater to this preference by offering a mobile concierge service that enables guests to send real-time requests to relevant staff members. Whether it's requesting extra towels or booking a spa appointment, this feature enhances convenience and empowers guests to tailor their experience to their desires.
Mobile concierge allows hoteliers to streamline processes and cut down waiting times - a huge benefit when waiting is something that Gen Z’s are not renowned for!
Personalised Dining Experiences with Digital Menus
Gen Z travellers value control over their experiences. Digital menus that are accessible to all guests on their personal devices provide them with the autonomy to explore dining options, view ingredient information, and even make dietary requests.
This not only enhances the dining experience but also aligns with sustainability goals by reducing paper waste associated with traditional menus.
Having scannable QR codes throughout the hotel or at the table in restaurants is ideal for guests who are dining in their rooms or at the restaurant.
Plus, operators get the added benefit of pausing ordering if your kitchen gets backed-up!
Benefits Of Adopting A Digital Edge
By integrating these digital strategies into their offerings, hotels stand to gain several benefits that align with the expectations of Gen Z travellers:
Speed & Efficiency
Instant access to information and services caters to Gen Z's need for quick results and gratification.
If a hotel cannot meet their demands and requests in an appropriate manner, this will affect how they view your brand and, in turn, could lead them to seek the services of others.
By digitising the services offered by your hotel, guests will be able to instantly access the information and services they need without having to wait, and the staff responsible for delivering those services will be notified instantly to make a start. This will help decrease waiting times for both staff and guests.
Streamlined processes offered by digital ordering and mobile concierge apps enhance the efficiency of hotel services, making the overall experience smoother.
Meet Gen Z Expectations
Gen Z demand a more customer-centric experience, meaning that they want to have control over their experience and have the ability to make it customisable according to their preferences.
Empowering guests with the tools to customize their stay puts them in control, aligning with Gen Z's desire for personalised experiences.
Hotel staff will also have more control as the manual task of taking and uploading orders into the system will be gone, meaning they can focus on providing a better customer experience. Your kitchen staff will also have more control by having the ability to pause orders when they become too busy and will have the added bonus of updating menu items on the fly if they are no longer available.
Sustainability
Digital solutions like menus and directories reduce the need for paper, appealing to Gen Z's commitment to sustainability.
Implementation of online ordering and guest directories eliminates the need for costly re-prints to replace or update existing paper menus or brochures. Guests will no longer have to use old and stained copies that aren’t ideal.
This will also make your hotel’s practice more sustainable; there will no longer be any need to produce mass printouts of menus and general hotel information, as guests will be able to access what they need through their own devices.
Digital Innovations: The Key to Attracting and Retaining Gen Z Guests
Gen Z travellers have high expectations for seamless experiences. By leveraging digital tools, hotels can address common pain points such as cumbersome guest directories, slow service, and lack of personalisation. For hoteliers to create truly memorable and engaging stays for their Gen Z guests, it is essential that digital innovations are prioritised and implemented to truly resonate.
By giving access to information and services in the palm of their hands, hoteliers can tap into the enthusiasm of the new generation’s pursuit of social media-worthy experiences that’ll keep them coming back for more. This way, hoteliers can not only stay up-to-date but also help drive innovations in an ever-evolving hospitality landscape.
The solutions - digital guest directories, F&B ordering platforms, and mobile concierge apps - directly tackle these challenges, ensuring that Gen Z guests enjoy a frictionless and enjoyable stay.
The icing on the cake? IRIS offer all of these services within one app - no need to start looking for individual suppliers.
See How Your Hotel Can Meet Modern Guests Demands with IRIS
Speak to an IRIS Specialist and learn how our services can help your hotel enhance your guests’ experience
