travel: changing course (april 2013)
TRANSCRIPT
3
Executive Summary
Peer-Powered Travel
Hyper-Personalized Travel
Millennials on the Road
Things to Watch
Appendix: More About Our Experts/Influencers
WHAT WE’LL COVER
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The world is on the move: 2012 saw a record-breaking 1 billion international travelers, according
to the U.N. World Tourism Organization. But while international travel continues to grow at a
steady pace—with 4% growth worldwide last year and a slightly lower forecast for this year—the
category is in flux.
One disruptive force will be the peer-to-peer marketplace. While P2P companies may be
expanding the market for travel, services like Airbnb are also putting the squeeze on traditional
service providers. For an overview of this new sector, we spotlight 20-plus services focused on
P2P hospitality, experiences and transportation. And with the peer-powered economy about to
reach critical mass, we look at how established brands can maintain their ground or even find
new opportunities.
Another macro trend starting to reshape the travel sector is the rise of hyper-personalization:
Today’s travelers expect highly personalized experiences and customer service—thanks in part to
the rise of customization and personalized suggestions online—and the industry is starting to
deliver on this expectation, armed with Big Data and insights gleaned from social media. We look
at some ways in which brands are fine-tuning offerings around individual customers, and what
this development means for marketers.
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We also take a look at Millennial travelers, whose adventurous and social approach to travel is
already influencing the travel industry in a number of ways. Plus: a wide-ranging rundown of
Things to Watch in travel, from Holographic Concierges to Transient Hotels.
Note: This report builds on our ―Rebooting Travel‖ report from 2011, which focuses on the tech-
enabled traveler. That report examines how the smartphone is coming to replace guidebooks and
maps, serving as a one-stop shop that connects travelers with their surroundings, each other and
travel brands; how today’s hyper-connected and mobile-enabled vacationers are sharing in real
time, which amplifies the experience and enables easy bragging; and how vacationers are
increasingly seeking to de-tech, putting aside technology as part of their break from day-to-day
life. Find it via the trend reports page at JWTIntelligence.com.
3
METHODOLOGY
This report is the result of quantitative, qualitative and desk research conducted by
JWTIntelligence throughout the year.
It includes data from a survey we conducted in the U.S. and the U.K. from Nov. 9–19, 2012, in
which we polled 1,016 adults aged 18-plus (519 Americans and 497 Britons). Data are weighted
by age and gender (in some cases, calculation of averages based off reported frequencies may
not add up due to this weighting).
It also includes input from three experts and influencers in the travel, investment and marketing
sectors.
*See Appendix to learn more about these experts and influencers.
Image credit: Vladimir Yaitskiy
PEER-POWERED TRAVELAs the peer-to-peer marketplace expands in size and scope—moving beyond
goods to a wide range of services—it will increasingly upend the hospitality,
tourism and transportation industries.
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Cooperative Consumption
Social media
The Trust Economy
Economics
Millennials
Distrust in institutions
Craving authenticity
DRIVERS
Back in ’99, we [at Half.com]
were trying to start up an
easier way for people to buy
and sell used books, music,
movies and games to each
other. No one thought it would
ever work. … What’s different now is that
there are billions of people online, and
they’re organizing and connecting and
engaging through social media, and that
changes everything. And it unleashes a lot of
opportunity and a lot of companies.‖
—CHRIS FRALIC, partner, First Round Capital
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Cooperative Consumption
Social media
The Trust Economy
Economics
Millennials
Distrust in institutions
Craving authenticity
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Cooperative Consumption
Social media
The Trust Economy
Economics
Millennials
Distrust in institutions
Craving authenticity
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Cooperative Consumption
Social media
The Trust Economy
Economics
Millennials
Distrust in institutions
Craving authenticity
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
This movement is being driven
by an interest in supporting
local communities and artisans,
and knowing more about the
people behind the things we
buy. It’s a shift away from the
mass-market efficiency, ease and low-cost
mindset that has dominated the past couple of
decades. Life came in a more packaged form—
everything from food to your vacation.
Increasingly, people want to experience the
unique gems [while traveling].‖
—VIPIN GOYAL, co-founder and CEO, SideTour
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Cooperative Consumption
Social media
The Trust Economy
Economics
Millennials
Distrust in institutions
Craving authenticity
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Peer-to-peer lodging companies are challenging traditional hotels by offering a wider variety of
accommodations—from a couch to a room to full homes—at generally lower prices. Couchsurfing,
initially run as a nonprofit, launched the idea of strangers hosting travelers nearly a decade ago.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P hospitality
Claims to be the European
leader in private short-term
rentals, having recently
acquired Airbnb rival
iStopOver. Connects travelers looking for
accommodations with people
who have rooms, apartments or
homes (and houseboats and
treehouses) to rent.
Enables people to rent their
backyards as what it calls
―micro-campsites.‖
The Craigslist of travel connects
hosts with travelers looking for
a free bed or couch.
An Airbnb imitator and one of
the largest European players in
this space.
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Peer-to-peer lodging companies are challenging traditional hotels by offering a wider variety of
accommodations—from a couch to a room to full homes—at generally lower prices. Couchsurfing,
initially run as a nonprofit, launched the idea of strangers hosting travelers nearly a decade ago.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P hospitality (cont’d.)
Marketplace for vacation
home rentals, connecting
travelers with homeowners
and property management companies.
A gay-friendly version of
Airbnb, for hosts who are gay or welcoming of gay visitors.
Caters to mid- to high-end
business travelers looking for
alternatives to traditional
hotels. Properties are ―professionally managed.‖
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
A crop of startups promise travelers a local’s-eye-view of a city or an otherwise unique experience.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P experiences
Founded by a Japan-born
entrepreneur (the name means
―to be a guide‖ in Japanese),
Shiroube connects anyone
interested in acting as a travel
guide with travelers looking for
personalized tours.
Offers offbeat experiences
around the world: e.g.,
members have booked stays
on Alcatraz Island in San
Francisco and a fishing trip
in Fiji with a local king.
Promises ―amazing experiences that can’t be found
anywhere else‖: e.g., hire a former CIA disguise
technician for a crash course in creating disguises or
sit in on a professional break dancing practice session.
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Focuses on experiences offered by
―real people,‖ who are encouraged to
monetize their expertise for a
reasonable fee and advertise their
activities through social networks. Relies on a network of ―Soul
Mates‖ to advise travelers on
the best places to visit, eat,
drink, etc.
Shared transport covers everything from cars to boats and planes. In some cases companies are
focused on filling empty seats (in cars, on planes), while in other cases the vehicle or boat itself is
shared. While some ride-share-service drivers are professionals, many are simply seeking to earn
extra cash, help the environment or meet new people.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P transportation
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
A ―people-powered transport
network‖ that matches paying
passengers with seats in cars;
pitched as a new, affordable
way to tour Europe. Members
can post how social they want
to be, from Bla to BlaBla to
BlaBlaBla.
A P2P version of Zipcar.
Members can rent other
members’ cars via iPhone or
the Web.
A P2P ride-sharing service
whose business model is similar
to SideCar’s. Accepts
―donations‖ (average amount:
$10) rather than fares from
riders.
This ―community-based, real-time
ridesharing marketplace‖ relies on
a mobile app to match people
seeking rides with those who have
extra space in their cars.
Spinlister connects riders with
bikes for rent, ―whether from
individuals or existing bike
rental shops.‖
Shared transport covers everything from cars to boats and planes. In some cases companies are
focused on filling empty seats (in cars, on planes), while in other cases the vehicle or boat itself is
shared. While some ride-share-service drivers are professionals, many are simply seeking to earn
extra cash, help the environment or meet new people.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P transportation (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Allows travelers who leave a
vehicle at airport parking to
rent it to incoming travelers.
Renters are screened, and all cars insured up to $1 million.
One of several boat-sharing P2P
services, Boatbound is
accepting requests for early
invitations. Differentiates itself
by offering $1 million in Lloyd’s
insurance coverage. Says the
average boat owner uses the vessel only 14 days a year.
Connects flyers with private jet
owners, operators and charters
looking to fill unused seats. In
contrast to other jet-sharing
networks, does not charge a
membership fee. People
looking to join are vetted by
customer service reps.
Websites like Meetup.com have established the idea of using online tools to connect like-minded
people in real life. Now, a niche set of travelers is using P2P apps, sites and services to make
connections on the go.
MANIFESTATIONS: P2P social connections
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Similar to KLM’s Meet & Seat: Lets
flyers upload itineraries via TripIt,
then connects users to people within
their Facebook or LinkedIn networks
who are on the same flights.
Helps users find travel partners for
long-haul or adventure trips. Travelers
list trip details and rank the excursion
on a 1-5 scale in terms of difficulty,
culture shock, remoteness and risk.
Enables women traveling alone to
meet other women (travelers or
locals) for dinner so they don’t have
to venture into restaurants alone.
Designed for users to ―share a drink with an
attractive stranger in the totally safe
environment of a public airport.‖ Member
profiles resemble dating-site profiles, but the
site says members might also meet for
companionship or simply to pass the time.
3As P2P companies begin to disrupt major industries, many established players will turn to
existing laws and regulations to limit their growth. But there are alternative (or parallel)
paths that big brands can take that are less knee-jerk and more forward-thinking. For one,
they can use the emergence of this new competitive set as an opportunity to rethink how
they operate or position their B2C businesses in this growing P2P economy. And they can
examine what kinds of new behaviors and expectations the P2P model is creating among
consumers and start delivering against those.
Embrace the P2P era: Rather than fear or fight the encroachment of this new
competition, established brands can embrace this development in a variety of ways. Perhaps
the easiest is to partner with peer-powered businesses in the same or related categories.
Taking it one step further, brands can add a P2P element to their business or launch a
business line that addresses a newly created demand or challenge to their industry.
In partnering with these upstarts or launching their own version of a P2P service, established
brands can infuse freshness or modernity into their persona, broaden their appeal and/or get
an existing consumer segment to look at them in an interesting new light. Initiatives such as
this also provide the opportunity to learn more about the audience, inner workings, and
strengths and weaknesses of P2P enterprises.
WHAT IT MEANS
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Take inspiration from the P2P model: Whether or not brands partner with P2P services
or add P2P elements, the P2P model can suggest new, more innovative approaches: Are there
ways to take inspiration from the things consumers like most about P2P services? And are
there ways to leverage digital technologies designed to match supply with demand,
consumers’ rising trust of strangers and proclivity for sharing, micro-entrepreneurs and so
forth in order to better cater to consumers or market existing services?
For instance, P2P companies thrive on utilizing idle assets, a supply (of cars, rooms,
downtime, etc.) that can be activated at a low marginal cost and generate significant
marginal revenue. Traditional businesses can employ P2P technology to optimize existing
capacity and become more efficient.
P2P services also strip out the middlemen and/or various overhead costs, often providing
more for less. So traditional businesses will need to find ways to either do likewise or provide
lower-cost options that do away with some amenities or restrict the offering in some way.
Many businesses are built around models formulated in a pre-digital era when consumers had
very different mindsets—models that will need to be tweaked, if not shaken up altogether.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Build in more authentic
experiences: One of the strengths of
the P2P economy lies in its ability to
deliver authenticity, local flavor and
idiosyncrasy—attributes that appeal to a
growing subset of consumers, especially
Millennials, who seek out one-of-a-kind,
share-worthy experiences and shy away
from anything that comes across as
prepackaged, cookie-cutter or too
standardized. Big brands need to look for
unique ways to build these attributes
into their services, without it feeling
forced or too inauthentic.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Airbnb and similar services
allow for their own native
experiences, where you’re
in the fabric of the city in
a way that you’re not
when you’re in a hotel. ...
It’s kind of like the difference
between taking a plane and taking a
train: The train brings you right into the
heart of the city, and the plane puts you
into the ugliest part of the city, just
because they had to put an airport
there.‖ —LISA GANSKY, author, The Mesh: Why the Future
of Business Is Sharing
3Facilitate the impulse to connect and share: Consumers increasingly are open to
trading goods and services with strangers, from lodging to meals. Brands will need to tailor
their selling strategies to accommodate this high-tech bartering culture. Hall St., for
instance, enables hotel guests to trade reservations, bypassing the hotel itself in the process
(Hall St. takes care of the changes). Hotel brands could re-insert themselves into the process
and facilitate behaviors that are already taking place, potentially winning brand loyalty.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
Image credit: Hall St.
3Millennials will drive adoption, but don’t overlook their elders: As our survey
showed, Millennials are most open to and enthusiastic about the P2P marketplace. But the
market will draw in consumers across all segments. Some may be driven by the affordability,
others by the novelty aspect, others by practical concerns. In imagining beyond the P2P
early-adopter crowd, brands (both P2P and B2C) can find untapped opportunities.
Play to your strengths: For all their appeal, P2P markets have their inherent weaknesses,
including inconsistent service or quality, cloudy value propositions and the need to deal with
strangers, an issue that will continue to discomfort a significant segment of consumers.
Beyond the matter of trust, some people will inevitably feel awkward doing business with
peers. Established brands can leverage these negatives by emphasizing that working with a
more traditional, trusted business can be easier, more convenient, less awkward and even
more affordable than choosing a peer-provided service.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Are there benefits to partnering with P2P hospitality platforms such as Airbnb?
Is there a service you can launch that addresses needs currently being fulfilled by
P2P challengers in travel?
Are there ways to take inspiration from the things consumers like most about P2P
travel services?
Since some consumers buy into P2P services for their local flavor and
authenticity, how can you play up those attributes in your brand experience?
Can you incorporate P2P technology into your model, as either an alternative or
add-on to your current business?
THOUGHT STARTERS
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
3Is there a consumer who would benefit from a P2P service but is currently being
overlooked by the market?
What strengths can you play up to differentiate your B2C brand in a positive way?
If P2P companies are directly challenging your business, what can you offer that
is not available or guaranteed through these new channels? Can you highlight
existing offerings that help distinguish your business from P2P services?
THOUGHT STARTERS (cont’d.)
PEER-POWERED TRAVEL
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Image credit: Porto Bay Trade
Consumers are coming to expect highly personalized services, and the
travel industry is starting to respond by fine-tuning offerings around
individual customers.
3Predictive Personalization
Consumers living publicly
Impatience with Web tools
Me-centric consumers
Travel category gets tougher
Companies shift from reactive to
proactive information gathering
DRIVERS
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
For hotel companies, social media
has essentially become a
sanctioned form of eavesdropping. ... In
today’s social-mediated paradigm, wherein
everyone lives in public, all guests can be
treated like celebrities.”—―What your hotel knows about you,‖
Travel + Leisure, February 2013
Image credit: Portugal2004
3Predictive Personalization
Consumers living publicly
Impatience with Web tools
Me-centric consumers
Travel category gets tougher
Companies shift from reactive to
proactive information gathering
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Image credit: Jonno Witts
3Predictive Personalization
Consumers living publicly
Impatience with Web tools
Me-centric consumers
Travel category gets tougher
Companies shift from reactive to
proactive information gathering
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Image credit: Matt McGee
MANIFESTATIONS: Hyper-personalized customer service/interaction
British Airways, “Know Me”: British Airways spent several years gathering
passenger data from many sources into one database before launching its
personalized-service program aimed at VIP and frequent fliers in 2012. As
examples, crew might pay extra attention to a first-time business-class
customer (demonstrating how to use the seat, for instance) or fuss over a
frequent business traveler who is on a personal trip.
—SIMON TALLING-SMITH, EVP of the Americas,
British Airways “British Airways gets more
personal,” USA Today, July 8, 2012
We put this program together so
we can demonstrate to frequent
customers that we do know them and
can anticipate their needs and deliver
the service they expect.”
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Image credit: British Airways
Disney’s MyMagic+: The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is rolling out
MagicBands, wristbands equipped with RFID chips. Guests using the wristbands
will be able to personalize their experience by first inputting their information
into a website or app. Then, for instance, Cinderella might say to a child, ―Hi,
Angie. I hear it’s your birthday.‖ And as guests queue up for the new Little
Mermaid ride, a robotic Scuttle, the seagull character, may chat directly with
MagicBand wearers. The wristbands will also enable ride reservations, payments
and act as keys for guest staying at Disney hotels.
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
MANIFESTATIONS: Hyper-personalized customer service/interaction (cont’d.)
Image credit: Disney
Fine-tuned dining: With the help of
software and Internet companies
such as OpenTable and Urbanspoon,
restaurants are logging detailed
data on customer preferences—
everything from food allergies to an
affinity for crushed or cubed ice.
Patrons can then have their needs
catered to without having to ask;
diners may even visit a restaurant
for the first time yet be treated like
a regular, since establishments
under the same ownership generally
share data.
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
MANIFESTATIONS: Hyper-personalized customer service/interaction (cont’d.)
Image credit: Urbanspoon
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
MANIFESTATIONS: Hyper-personalized customer service/interaction (cont’d.)
Luxury hotels researching every guest like a VIP: It’s long been an open secret in luxury
travel that hotels research VIP guests online to help staff recognize them and to use relevant
personal details to create ―opportunities to surprise and delight,‖ as high-end hoteliers are fond
of saying. For instance, staff at Accor hotel properties (which include Sofitel and Novotel
hotels) check public social media profiles of loyalty club members before they arrive, then
present customized gifts when they check in, such as a behind-the-scenes tour of Tru in Chicago
for a foodie guest or VIP hockey tickets for a sports fan.
Image credits: bizbuzzmedia; aprilandrandy
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Libra OnDemand: This company provides
customer relationship management for
hospitality companies, trawling social
media data to create a ―complete 360-
degree view of each customer.‖ This
service provides hotels with ―intuitive‖
information for all clients, not just the
VIPs previously profiled via manual
searches. High-end hotels like the Surrey
in New York and the Viceroy Group have
adopted the service, as well as
convention hotels and even Red Roof Inns
and Holiday Inns.
MANIFESTATIONS: Hyper-personalized customer service/interaction (cont’d.)
Image credit: Libra OnDemand
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
MANIFESTATIONS: Personalized Itineraries
Image credits: Citybot; Utrip; Ness
WHAT IT MEANS
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Today’s traveler, accustomed to a hyper-personalized digital experience, is coming to expect
the same in real life and during their travels. While some brands have been hyper-
personalizing service for the most loyal customers for a while, the advent of Big Data tools
will help enable this to a far more extensive degree.
While Big Data has the potential to transform all industries, some analysts believe the travel
sector could feel the greatest impact, and sooner than others. Travel companies are already
armed with an array of data about their users, from VIP and loyalty programs. Yet many
travel brands are just starting to put this information to good use. Given the rise of the me-
centric traveler, companies will need to connect all the dots to create individualized
experiences.
The challenge will be to identify not only broad patterns of behavior but individual ones as
well. Once armed with these insights, marketers can then tailor offers, messaging, customer
service and more. Savvy brands will be able to address needs as they arise, perhaps even
before travelers seek solutions. This brings an unprecedented level of personal service and
attention to travelers, something they increasingly expect—but there’s a line beyond which
most will feel spooked. Marketers will need to assuage privacy concerns and show how their
use of data benefits the consumer.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Make transactions more personal: As more of our world becomes digitized, anonymous,
automated and virtual, consumers are craving a more human touch. For the travel sector, it
will be a matter of balancing technology-based solutions that help save time when it comes
to checkout, ordering, ticketing and the like with the hands-on service that make guests feel
pampered and catered to. Paradoxically, consumers are more apt to find this online—with
personalized suggestions on sites such as Netflix and Amazon—than in the real world. Most
travelers get the same generic experience as everyone else, even members of loyalty
programs. By amalgamating various data streams, travel brands can start offering the
tailored recommendations and attention that consumers take for granted online.
Using data to build consumer profiles can take the anonymity out of interactions with a
brand, improving customer service. New tool sets will help marketers expand personalized
treatment beyond loyal customers of one locale or brand—as we’re seeing with restaurants
under common ownership that pool data to offer tailored dining experiences.
WHAT IT MEANS (cont’d.)
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
Tread carefully around privacy
concerns: While travelers will come to
expect more individualized attention—
especially the youngest cohort, who
already consider personalization the
norm—they will nonetheless take some
time to adjust to the idea that marketers
know a great deal about their lives and
can predict their needs.
After British Airways announced its ―Know
Me‖ program, for instance, a slew of
consumer critics called it an invasion of
privacy, objecting especially to the
company’s hunting for online information
about users.
THOUGHT STARTERS
How can you use public information about your customers to create hyper-
personalized experiences?
How can you earn travelers’ trust so they are open to opting in to loyalty
programs and other means of collecting behavioral data?
Are there ways to better personalize the online experience?
What are some unique ways your brand can put data to use to make the offline
experience better for your guests?
HYPER-PERSONALIZED TRAVEL
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
Image credit: Lauren Manning
Millennial travelers, who have grown up in a globally connected world,
are eager to explore the globe. Known for their boundless optimism,
today’s 18- to 34-year-olds are exceptionally open to new adventures and
unique, immersive experiences, including those that may challenge their
often-limited budgets.
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
While many can’t afford as much leisure
travel as they’d like, Millennials display
remarkable ingenuity in getting what they
want by using online deal sites,
recommendations from social networks,
travel apps and crowdsourced review
sites.
Amenities-laden hotels, at a value price,
appeal to their idea of enjoying the best
of everything—preferably tailored to their
preferences.
Image credit: SimplyLuxuryTravel
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
They assess their experiences with an
especially critical eye, ready to share
opinions with social networks and review
sites. When these travelers have a
complaint, they’re more apt to post it on
Twitter before, or instead of, telling the
hotel manager. (Starwood Hotels and
Resorts Worldwide, among others, now
employs a team of people to monitor and
post responses to such criticisms.) In turn,
they look to social networks and review
sites for guidance.
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
When flying for business, Millennials want to be comfortable and connected,
enabling them to be productive or entertained while en route.
Image credits: Ullisan, Tom Mascardo 3
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
The decision-making process:
Millennials are more apt than older
generations to use mobile apps and online
aggregator sites to make travel
arrangements. These tools help them book
travel on their own terms, in a way that
fits seamlessly into their schedules.
Millennials rely more heavily on user
comments and online content when
booking travel than older counterparts.
Bad reviews from friends can quickly
come to light thanks to the social graph
laid across the Web, and this virtually
guarantees Millennials will look
elsewhere.
Image credit: TripAdvisor
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
What Millennials are looking for: All-
inclusive package deals that provide an
upscale experience without leaving
travelers feeling nickel-and-dimed for
every little ―extra‖ speak to Millennials’
sense of value and fairness.
An offbeat place to stay found on Airbnb
or unusual activities booked through P2P
services like Vayable appeal to Millennials’
desire to avoid impersonal service and the
standard experience. The story of the
unusual trip is a prize unto itself.
Image credit: Vayable
MILLENNIALS ON THE ROAD
Travel brands that are addressing their needs: Brands are starting to provide
ever more options, catering to the Millennial desire for a more customized
experience.
Hilton’s luxury Conrad chain offers three
different brands of toiletries and lets guests
choose which they prefer. New hotel brands such as Moxy, a partnership
between Marriott and Ikea, and Starwood’s
trendsetting hotel chain Aloft offer style and a
scene at an affordable price.
W Hotels’ ―W Happenings‖ concert and event
series is a way for the luxury chain to become a
social destination as much as a place to stay.
Image credits: Conrad Hotels; Moxy Hotels; Virgin Atlantic
THINGSTO WATCH
Image credit: Paul Lowry
Over the following pages, these 20-plus Things to Watch offer a quick
rundown of a wide range of developments in travel, from innovative tech
tools and services to new categories of hotels to the next hot vacation
theme.
AIRPORTS AS DESTINATIONS
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Ikea
Travelers are spending more time in
airports, and airports are providing
money-generating ways to spend that
time. USA Today reports that Vancouver is
planning a 400,000-square-foot luxury
outlet mall for its airport. Hong Kong’s
airport now has an IMAX movie theater.
Dusseldorf International Airport, includes
a pharmacy, dentist, hairdresser and
postal services at the info desk. Los
Angeles International Airport has
restaurants run by celebrity chef
Masaharu Morimoto as well as a golf
course next door. And last year, Ikea
installed a temporary family-friendly
lounge in France’s Roissy-Charles de
Gaulle Airport with comfy sofas and even
beds to nap on.
BYOD (BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE)
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: airfax.com
With the mobile device now an Everything
Hub and content accessible through the
cloud, businesses must adapt to BYOD
culture. Airlines including Virgin America,
American Airlines and Lufthansa
are offering audio and video via Wi-Fi for
those who eschew the seat-back screen in
favor of their own. Likewise, some hotels
are enabling guests to watch pay-per-view
movies on their own devices as well as the
room’s TV; network bandwidth that can
handle guests streaming video is becoming
increasingly important.
CHEAP CHIC HOTELS AND HOSTELS
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: citizenM
Hotel chains are taking a page from Ikea,
Target and H&M and delivering
contemporary design at a cost-sensitive
price. Starwood’s Aloft hotels helped
define the trend with open, club-like
lobbies that feature lighting changes
throughout the day, free bottled water
and fast Wi-Fi. At citizenM hotels in
Amsterdam, Glasgow and London, guests
check in at self-serve kiosks, which saves
on front-desk staff, engaging the
wandering ―ambassador‖ if they have
problems.
CONSCIOUS-LUXE
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credits: The-Lane-Team; mauriciopadovani
―Eco-hotel‖ once suggested huts on the
beach in Costa Rica with no running water
or electricity. Now guests might stay at an
eco-hotel without knowing it. Take the
LEED Platinum-certified Leela Palace
hotel in New Delhi—built at a reported
cost of nearly $400 million and fit for a
maharaja—or the upcoming Singita Mara
River Tented Camp in Tanzania, built
largely of natural and recycled materials
and completely off the grid, yet is
complete with a swimming pool, other
amenities and a custom-designed solar
system for power.
DIGITAL-INTO-PHYSICAL POSTCARDS
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Postagram
Various services allow vacationers and
others to turn digital snapshots into snail-
mailed postcards. Tools like Sincerely’s
Postagram app and Postcard on the Run
(―Technology delivered the old-fashioned
way‖) satisfy today’s rising appreciation
for physical objects and slower forms of
communication.
THE DOCUMENTARY TRAVELER
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel
As more travelers chart their trips on
social sites, travel companies are starting
to make tweeting, Instagramming and
posting easier and more automatic.
Spain’s Ushuai a Ibiza Beach Hotel lets
guests share their clubbing experience on
Facebook by scanning RFID-enabled
wristbands at kiosks throughout the
venue; the hotel is planning an upgrade
that will rely on fingerprint recognition.
HOLOGRAPHIC CONCIERGES
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Iberia
Aiming to offer memorable (and socially
shareable) novelty, high-tech design and
attentive customer service with no
manpower cost, travel providers are
creating digital avatars to serve as human
assistants. Starwood’s hip, affordable
Aloft-branded hotels introduced
holographic greeters/concierges in late
2011 to orient guests on hotel features
and nearby shopping and dining. Several
airports have added holographic
assistants, and Iberia has two holographic
―virtual agents‖ at its hub in Madrid to
provide information about using check-in
kiosks and boarding procedures.
HOPPER
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Hopper
This buzzed-about booking site aims to be
a one-stop-shop for all travel planning
needs. In development since 2007, Hopper
has raised a total of $22 million in funding
and counts a number of travel industry
heavyweights on its executive team,
including a former employee from
TripAdvisor and ex-Expedia engineers.
Built on big data and sophisticated
algorithms, the forthcoming service aims
to aggregate and catalog fragmented
travel information from across the Web to
create a discovery and recommendation
engine. Users will be able to search for all
the information they need based only on
―a vague idea‖ like ―Mediterranean
cruise,‖ according to the site.
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WORKS TO STAY FIT
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Even Hotels
The hospitality industry is rolling out new
and more varied options for fitness on the
go. The prime example is Even Hotels, a
middle-market fitness-oriented franchise
that InterContinental Hotels Group plans
to debut in New York City in 2014.
Amenities will include a large gym, guest
rooms outfitted with fitness walls and/or
exercise balls, and quick-turnaround
laundry service for gym clothes, according
to USA Today. Yoga is becoming a popular
amenity: Several hotel chains—including
Singapore-based COMO Hotels and
Resorts, Kimpton Hotels and Affinia
Hotels—offer yoga equipment,
instructional videos or classes, and more
are joining them.
HOTELS IN AFRICA
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Marriott
Driven largely by an explosion in business
travel to Africa, international hotel brands
are racing to expand their portfolios.
Marriott plans to open a property in
Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, in 2013 and aims
to grow its African properties sixfold by
2020. French hotel group Accor is planning
to add almost 5,000 rooms in 30 hotels by
2016, and Starwood intends to open 10
African hotels in the next three years.
INSTA-CATIONS
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Tambako the Jaguar
Staycations have been popular since the
2008 recession, but many of today’s
consumers—ever more budget-conscious
and overworked—will opt for quick,
affordable bursts of fun in lieu of longer
excursions or breaks. People looking to
inject fun into their lives will seek the
type of unusual one-off experiences and
mini-vacations they’ve been finding on
some deal sites, the more novel and
adventurous the better.
LIVE-STREAMING LIFE
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: GoPro
Memories will be live-streamed in real
time. The newest super-compact video
camera from GoPro is 30% smaller and 25%
lighter than its predecessors—a big selling
point for the skiers, divers and other
extreme sports enthusiasts who love to
document their exploits—and includes
built-in Wi-Fi, enabling live-streaming of
footage. Users can also control the
camera remotely using a smartphone app.
NATURE AS ANTIDOTE
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Marian Berelowitz
With urbanization rising steadily—today
more than half the world’s population lives
in cities, compared to less than 40% in
1990—more people will retreat to nature
to escape the pressures, noise, pollution,
traffic and other stressors of the city. We’ll
also see this urge manifest in other ways
too, from an embrace of natural, organic
elements in décor to ever more nature-
themed entertainment programming.
POLITICAL VACATIONS
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Political Tours
Affluent travelers are seeking new kinds of
status trips, as embodied by Political Tours
of the U.K., which offers clients ―current
affairs at first hand.‖ This includes a tour
of Northern Ireland led by BBC
correspondents and trips to hot spots
including Georgia, North Korea, Libya and
Kosovo—many curated by political experts
with insights into the region.
REAL-TIME TRANSLATION
3 GENERATION GO
DRIVERS (cont’d.)
Image credit: Gizmodo
App creators are looking for new ways to
break through language barriers with
software that translates two-way
conversations in near-real time. Examples
include Jibbigo, which translates typed and
spoken words; Vocre, which can handle 36
languages; Sakhr, which translates Arabic;
and Word Lens, which translates typed
words into English from Spanish, French,
Italian and German or vice versa.
Samsung’s Galaxy S4 comes with the ―S
Translator,‖ which can translate nine
languages from speech to text or text to
speech, as well as email and text
messages.
RIVER CRUISING
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Voyages of Discovery
River cruising is slated to make a splash in
the travel industry. In 2012, for instance,
British cruise brands Voyages of Discovery
and Hebridean Island Cruises both
introduced river cruises. Other companies
are adding river cruise itineraries
worldwide, as well as new ships.
SET JETTING
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Hobbiton Movie Set Tours
New Zealand has seen a 50% spike in
tourist visits since The Lord of the Rings
debuted in 2001; now The Hobbit is
expected to bring even more travelers to
the Pacific nation. Long popular among
film fanatics, ―set jetting‖ will become
more mainstream, especially as more sites
start to tout their Hollywood connections.
As part of the promotion for 50 years of
James Bond films, the stars made
appearances at set locations around the
U.K. in 2012. In 2013, Life of Pi (filmed in
India) and The Lone Ranger (the American
West) are expected to help draw visitors to
filming locales.
SHOPPING HOTELS
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Pullman
In Middle Eastern countries including the
U.A.E., Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
Bahrain, megamalls with hotels in them
are fueling a tourism recovery after the
Arab Spring of 2011 took a toll. A Sheraton
will open in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates
in 2013, and the upcoming Yas Mall in Abu
Dhabi will house seven hotels.
SMARTER CHECK-INS
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Qantas
Hotels, airlines and airports are using RFID
and NFC, combined with customer
phones, to smooth and speed up the
check-in. France’s Toulouse-Blagnac
airport is aiming to use NFC to enable
travelers to ―pass seamlessly through the
airport using just their mobile phones.‖
Qantas’ frequent flyers get a RFID-enabled
card that functions as a boarding pass;
they use it to check in at a kiosk upon
arrival, then flight details are sent to
their phone. (Qantas also offers RFID-
enabled baggage tags, linking luggage
with the flier’s flight info to ensure proper
handling.)
TRANSIENT HOTELS
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Sleeping Around
These days, it’s hotels that are on the
move, not the guests. Transient, or pop-
up, hotels offer affordable rooms in prime
spots or posh lodging near seasonal events
such as music festivals. Sleeping Around, a
Belgian company, transforms 20-foot
shipping containers into luxury rooms and
transports them to cities around Europe.
TRAVEL BECOMES MORE INCLUSIVE
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Ovolo Group
All-inclusive resorts where everything is
pre-paid—activities, meals, tips, etc.—
have existed for decades. But now the
concept is expanding to a wider variety of
travel options. The guiding idea is
transparency: What you see is what you
get, and it’s all included. Cruise lines,
known for their pricey extras, are starting
to include airfare and before- and after-
cruise hotel stays in their prices, with
Regent Seven Seas and Seabourn leading
the charge. The rate at the new Ovolo
hotel in Melbourne, for example, includes
minibar items, Wi-Fi, local calls and
breakfast.
VIP TREATMENT
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: JeffMaysh
As the middle market shrinks in the
developed world, more brands will find
ways to provide special service to
customers with the means or the
motivation to spend. VIP treatment is
becoming common at amusement parks,
for example, with special access passes
allowing purchasers to skip long lines.
Independent airport lounges provide a
little extra comfort to travelers with an
extra $15 to $50 to spend.
WOMEN-ONLY HOTEL FLOORS
3 GENERATION GO
Image credit: Naumi Hotel
With more women traveling solo, many for
business, hotels from Vancouver and
Copenhagen to Singapore and London are
reviving women-only floors, an old
concept once dismissed as sexist by the
feminist movement. These offer more
security—some hotels even require a key
card to access the floor—and add room
amenities like fashion magazines, hair
tools (curling irons, flat irons) and
additional hangers. Some hotels also
provide female room attendants and offer
networking events.
APPENDIX: MORE ABOUT OUR EXPERTS/INFLUENCERS
April 2013
Image credit: Jeanette Kramer
APPENDIX: MORE ABOUT OUR EXPERTS/INFLUENCERS
APPENDIX: MORE ABOUT OUR EXPERTS/INFLUENCERS
JWTIntelligence: JWTIntelligence is a center for provocative thinking that is a part of JWT. We make sense of the chaos in a world of
hyper-abundant information and constant innovation—finding quality amid the quantity.
We focus on identifying changes in the global zeitgeist so as to convert shifts into compelling opportunities for brands. We have done this on
behalf of multinational clients across several categories including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and home and personal care.
JWT: JWT is the world’s best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in New York, JWT is a true global network with
more than 200 offices in over 90 countries, employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals. JWT consistently ranks among the top
agency networks in the world and continues a dominant presence in the industry by staying on the leading edge—from producing the first-
ever TV commercial in 1939 to developing award-winning branded content today. JWT embraces a WORLDMADE philosophy, making things
inspired by the world through blending technological innovation with international imagination. JWT has forged deep relationships with
clients including Bayer, Diageo, Ford, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark, Macy’s, Mondelez, Nestlé, Nokia, Rolex, Royal
Caribbean, Schick, Shell, Unilever, Vodafone, Vonage and many others. JWT’s parent company is WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY). For more
information, please visit www.jwt.com and follow us @JWT_Worldwide.
www.jwt.com | @JWT_Worldwide
www.jwtintelligence.com | @JWTIntelligence
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CONTACT:Travel: Changing Course
Written by
Director of trendspotting
Editor
Trends strategist
Trends associate
Contributors
SONAR™
Design
Jessica Vaughn
Ann M. Mack
Marian Berelowitz
Will Palley
Nicholas Ayala
Ann Abel
Alec Foege
Mark Truss
Peter Mullaney
Ann M. Mack212-210-7378
@annmmack
Jessica Vaughn
@jess_vaughn
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