Travel Megatrends 2019: Everything Is Converging in Hospitality

If there’s one common thread that we’ve seen throughout the hospitality industry in recent years — from vacation rentals and private accommodations to luxury hotels, timeshares, and hostels — it’s that the traditional demarcations between lodging categories are all starting to blur. Hostels are borrowing from posh luxury hotels in terms of elevating the guest experience. Midscale hotels are looking to hostels for inspiration on how to “activate” their public spaces. Camping has become glamping. The operators behind new boutique apartment rental brands like Lyric, Sonder, and The Guild are borrowing what they’ve learned from boutique and lifestyle hotels. And even homesharing is becoming more hotel-like with the advent of new products like Airbnb Plus. And the truth is, while the industry itself may be puzzled by all these blurred lines, consumers aren’t — or they just don’t care. “In the hospitality industry, there’s this massive convergence taking place right now,” said Simon Lehmann, CEO and founder of AJL Consulting and the former CEO of Interhome, a Swiss home rental platform. “All different types of hospitality are becoming one,