Marriott’s Homesharing Strategy and 11 Other Hospitality Trends this Week

Marriott Homesharing Strategy Is About Guest Loyalty, Not Profits: Some hotel chains, such as Marriott, feel they have no choice but to get into homesharing. Marriott is trying to turn it into a loyalty play to keep its customers engaged with the brand.

What If Accor Acquires Oyo? A full-blown acquisition or a stake in a tech-focused budget hotel player by a global hotel chain will be yet another strange development in the hospitality industry. But as we’ve seen, nothing is really strange anymore. This is an interesting development to watch, as the implications can be far-reaching.

The Man Who Puts the Sparkle in the Baccarat Hotel: When your brand is all about high-quality, custom-crafted crystal, you’d better be sure that the message shines throughout any product extensions. To uphold and safeguard Baccarat’s identity, enter the glass attendant.

Gym Chains Want to Expand Beyond Fitness: If workout centers want to reach more customers, staying in the fitness lane may not cut it anymore. Instead, forward-thinking athletic clubs are elevating themselves into full-fledged lifestyle brands.

Radisson Plots Co-Branding Pilot With New Owner Jin Jiang: With new Chinese owners in place, it seems sensible for Radisson to target both outbound travelers and the domestic market.

What Luxury Hospitality Can Learn From These First-Time Hoteliers: Ambitious first-time hoteliers are forging some of the most intriguing hospitality experiences. The power of the beginner’s imagination combined with knowledge and passion from other industries is adding up to exactly what the most jaded travelers want.

We Can Put the Quality Into Homesharing, Say Hotel CEOs: It used to be that hotel CEOs outright dismissed homesharing. But now that more hospitality companies are taking the plunge, the top brass is making the case for why the hotel giants can do it better.

Are Big-Name Conference Speakers Like Oprah and Bill Clinton Worth the Fees? Booking a high-profile guest speaker like Oprah Winfrey or former President Bill Clinton will guarantee buzz and most likely a sold-out conference or corporate event. But will their presence reflect the client’s messaging and the objectives of the overall event?

Skift Tech Forum: Carnival Builds a Connected Cruise Experience. Cruising has lagged behind other sectors of travel when it comes to digitization and personalization. A new wave of technology, though, is creating a more seamless experience for cruisers around the world.

Do Celeb Speakers Really Improve Events? Hiring big-name speakers to keynote your event can backfire if they aren’t aligned with your brand and message. Sometimes, though, some star power can provide an escape from the usual tedium.

The Hotels Paradox: Keeping Tech Cutting-Edge But Simple. Hotel chains are always in search of the next big thing in innovation or loyalty that will give them an edge over the competition. But in discussions with industry professionals at the NYU Hospitality Conference this week, it seems most would be willing to settle for reliable Wi-Fi and USB ports in rooms. Maybe simple is better?

Transforming the Luxury English Country Hotel: Brexit presents something of a challenge to the English luxury country retreat, but many are broadening their offerings to connect with a new generation of high-end consumers.