Articles tagged “megatrends 2018”

Some companies are betting big on blockchain's bandwagon effect. Time will tell whether the new technology materializes into cheaper, better, and faster travel experiences.

For luxury travelers, an experience in itself is no longer enough. The personal fulfillment and self improvement one gains from an experience are taking precedence, and luxury brands can help travelers reach this goal.

Delivery companies have done well to incorporate as much efficiency-supporting technology as possible, but the real barrier to total optimization will continue to be the complicated logistics of real life. 

Over the past few years, established chains have turned to chefs to add a dose of authenticity to their menus and a refresh to their brands. A chef and chain partnership adds value but should be only one part of a brand's reinvigoration.

Think of this as mixed-use 2.0. As consumer demands and mobile technology evolve, hoteliers are becoming smarter about designing their spaces to accommodate our multitasking lives.

Fine casual, yet another term coined to describe the new ways Americans dine, marries elements of fast casual and fine dining. No matter what you want to call these restaurants, expect many more.

The smartest travel companies are beginning to buy startups that may not be central to their main businesses or help them consolidate market share, but could boost the innovation metabolism of their motherships.

Distinctive elements will dominate in restaurant design through 2018. Bold color choices, stand-out patterns, text-heavy neon signage, and witty branding will shape identities for new spaces, and the perceptions of those who experience them— virtually or otherwise.

Travel brands no longer get political at their own risk — they avoid politics at their own risk. With so much at stake in the Trump era, remaining on the sidelines about multicultural acceptance isn’t an option.

The in-restaurant experience is changing, and it’s a direct result of new technologies aimed at making our lives simpler. Sometimes the tech creates a threat, as has happened with delivery. And sometimes it creates opportunity, as we see in the ways smart restaurants are addressing said threat.