The hospitality industry has experienced major changes over the past two and a half years. Forces outside of the industry’s control have changed the way it operates and how guests travel. The industry has been forced to deal with issues like staffing shortages and supply chain issues on a month-to-month basis. However, folks working in this industry and running the properties have been resilient and ready to adapt their business operations to meet the constantly changing day-to-day operations. Some changes to the industry will likely remain permanent. The new way guests travel is a trend likely to stay. The pandemic brought a major shift to remote work for many companies. The hybrid work schedule has created new terms that hospitality workers need to be familiar with, and there are new opportunities available for properties to attract hybrid or remote workers to their properties.
Traveling Terms
Bleisure- A type of travel that combines both work and recreational activities. It usually involves business workers adding on a few personal days to their work trip. Activities may include sightseeing, hiking, going to events, or just relaxing by a pool or beach. Bleisure has also been called a “bizcation” because it combines a business trip and personal vacation into one experience. It can give the worker a better experience and more positive outlook on life which can improve their work production and help their company. This is also good for the hospitality industry because it means that guest stays will be extended, and they will be willing to spend more money at your property.
Workation- This describes workers whose job enables them the opportunity to work from any location. Instead of being confined to an office, they can work from hotels, rental properties, and Airbnbs instead. However, it is different from bleisure because travelers will be at the location for a longer duration. People on a workcation will be spending several weeks or months at a location compared to maybe a week for bleisure. Workations can help employees stay more relaxed and increase their work production. This is usually due to a lack of distractions like not having house chores to worry about and co-workers not being around to cause distractions. Just like bleisure, workcations are great for hospitality because it will attract more guests to properties.
How to Attract These Guests to Your Property
Have a Local Activities Page on Website
Whether it be bleisure or a workation, guests will be more interested in 
staying at properties that have a variety of fun activities nearby. Some common attractions could be local parks, outdoor activities, popular restaurants, and locations with local live music. It would be wise to offer a question-and-answer section on the property website about frequently asked questions. This includes the distance from the property to the desired location, what the weather is like that time of year, and if there are certain items guests should pack such as umbrellas, tennis shoes, etc. Many people will find your property directly through the internet. An active website and features like monthly blog posts will help your property’s SEO ranking and hopefully make it easier for guests to find.
Offer Customer Incentives
This new demographic of travelers will change the way properties make special offers to entice them to stay at their property. This is the beginning of a new era where guests will not be there solely for business or for personal vacation, but for a mixture of both. Properties may want to offer discounts to encourage guests traveling for business to stay for additional personal days. Guests could have spouses and children staying too, so properties could list nearby businesses and events that are family friendly. Discounts at the spa can significantly increase the chances of additional reservations. Another good idea is offering business resources like work desks, printers, scanners, and high-speed Wi-Fi. It is recommended to also mention this on your website to help increase guest reservations.
Stay Current with Bedding and Amenities
Guests will always want their experience to be comfortable and refreshing. Trends are always changing in hospitality, so it is important that bedding like sheets, blankets, and comforters are current and will meet guest demand. Amenities are just as important. Guests want to be entertained with flat screen televisions, a hot tub, and comfortable robes. Alarm clocks with phone charging stations are an important feature. Even great smelling toiletries like shampoo and lotion can go a long way towards impressing guests and making them want to return to your property.
InnStyle is Here to Help with Your Linen Needs
The hospitality industry is constantly changing. Luckily, the people working in the industry are highly adaptable and able to adjust their businesses to meet the demands of guests and forces outside of their control. InnStyle knows how challenging it can be to manage properties during times like these. That is why they take pride in offering a wide range of products to serve as a one-stop-shop for a property’s linen needs. They offer products like top of the bed linens, sheets, towels, amenities, lodging accessories, dining products, and much more. Please give them a call and speak with their account managers. They can be reached at 800-877-4667 or 267-354-6020. Their website is https://www.innstyle.com/.