The Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality
Photo Caption: Trunk Yoyogi Trunk Hotel
Skift Take
Big brands have a tendency for stasis: I'm particularly interested to see how AI and new technology will soften the ground for a new wave of hospitality entrepreneurs and visionaries to shape a very dynamic industry, particularly in emerging markets like Saudi.
On Experience
Colin Nagy is a marketing strategist and writes on customer-centric experiences and innovation across the luxury sector, hotels, aviation, and beyond. You can read all of his writing here.I last checked in at the half-year, highlighting the few brands, ideas, and services that deserved a hat tip for their executions. There were a lot of exciting ideas: At that point, we'd gone from the precariousness of a global pandemic into a full-throttle, growth sprint for luxury. Interest in high-end experiences continued to surge, along with eye-watering room rates.
In a sense, hospitality is in the catbird seat: It is in the business of human relationships, care, and empathy. And it exists in the real, physical world.
Other industries may get blown apart by AI. The core hospitality business will remain unchanged: Care, detail, and rarity are among the details that make a luxury experience and they all can continue to exist and be elevated.
And many brands are embracing change and pushing forward. The industry gets a tad too obsessed with the latest "best-of" lists. I've handpicked the brands and experiences I highlight below an
