5 Big Questions Facing Hospitality at Our Future of Lodging Forum

As we look ahead to Skift’s Future of Lodging Forum, happening in London Wednesday, March 29 at The Londoner Hotel, we wanted to unpack some of the big themes and questions facing the industry ahead. 

Join us as we explore the new opportunities, shifting expectations, emerging technologies, and big ideas that will transform lodging: all of which seem to point to a “Great Guest Experience Upheaval” in hospitality. This year will undoubtedly be a decisive inflection point for the industry.

We’ve picked just five of the themes from the many topic areas that Skift editors and research analysts will cover with gamechangers across hospitality on stage in front of an audience of 250+ leaders, investors, and strategists:

What is the next evolution of experiences for hospitality? 

Skift Research will share new data on “The Experience Economy 2.0” and present findings around the next evolution of experiences in the hospitality industry as we have come out of the pandemic. We will look at data on the new opportunities ahead, including hybrid hospitality, luxury travel, wellness, sustainability, hyper-personalization, and the impact of generative AI. 

Are we in a recovery or a recession? 

Revenue is top of mind for hotels and from pricing power to predictions on economic woes, 2023 is still rife with cautious optimism. What is different about this downturn than others in the past and how are hotels adapting? How is this affecting the needs of consumers and is it opening up opportunities for rentals to capture demand even in the face of inflation pressures? We’ll hear from a wide range of leaders across Hilton, Accor, IHG, Highgate, Starwood, and AB Bernstein as we analyze and assess what might be ahead.

What is the future of personalization in travel? 

Across hotels, short-term rentals, and online travel agencies, everyone is thinking more about first-party data, privacy, and the demands of consumers to have a more personalized experience. Trust and privacy are key, and the industry’s success will depend on how it prepares for this coming wave of transformation. We’ll hear from leaders at Booking.com, Google, Jumeirah, and Awaze, as we look at how this will be an essential facet for all travel brands in the future.

Is there a loyalty land grab ahead for brands? 

Can hotels do what airlines have done when it comes to loyalty and turn points into highly profitable programs, sometimes valued more than the airline itself? Do hotels even have enough brand recognition, and will any hotel brand ever be as ubiquitous as Airbnb? The jury is still out on points, leaving many luxury hotels to drive loyalty through incomparable service, cultural touch points, and memorable experiences. We’ll explore the future of loyalty for hotels throughout the day and ask, what really keeps travelers coming back? 

What comes next for hotel tech and the frictionless stay? 

Both for operations internally and for consumers externally, technology is increasingly taking center stage in driving experience. We’ll hear from the Chairman and CEO of MCR Hotels as we consider the many hurdles and also solutions that technology can provide when it comes to operations, labor, and guests. A frictionless stay doesn’t always require technology though, as we’ll hear from the Mr & Mrs Smith CEO as she uncovers what is essential for creating a transformational stay today and why that matters.

All this and much more.

Beyond these five themes, we’ll look at hybrid hospitality in a blended world, what’s ahead for the two-sided marketplace of short-term rentals, why investors want differentiation, how sustainability implementation is taking hold, the business of wellness, and much more. Check out the full agenda here.

Will there be thoughtfully curated food stations at the forum? Why yes, our super boutique hotel venue, The Londoner, is not holding back when it comes to hospitality and many little touches to make your experience at the forum an incredible one. So don’t miss out.

Register today and join us at the forum on March 29: