A United Nations report estimates that the global tourism industry lost $4 trillion due to lockdown measures in the last two years. This is nearly equivalent to France’s GDP. The silver lining is that restaurants and hotels have become highly creative in their efforts to maintain their businesses, and some of these more innovative ideas are being carried on. These are five smart ideas and trends consumers are benefiting from.
1. Catering for Remote Workers
In the last two years, many caterers and restaurants that have created attractive meal kits and delivery services for customers and businesses have survived. The number of meal delivery services catering to all dietary preferences has increased dramatically. Some caterers and restaurants managed to survive by strategically pivoting to offer a variety of meals and kit delivery to business clients. Gluxgefuhl in Berlin added B2B delivery of meal kits to their catering business. It’s been a great success, and they plan to continue doing so. Remote workers can order meals from them via the internet or at home.
Gluxgefuhl serves SAP, Mercedes Benz, and Boston Consulting Group, clients. Cem Yilmaz from Gluxgefuhl and Mesut Yigit of Gluxgefuhl stated, “During the 2021 holiday season, our company set an internal record by delivering over 2,000 meal boxes with 3-course meals that corporations used to host virtual Christmas parties.”
It is mainly bowl food, with each component carefully chosen by the chefs. They focus on easy-to-digest ingredients high in vitamins and increase energy. A vegan curry lunch box includes a bag of rice and chickpeas in the jar, coconut milk, sweet potato, red curry paste, and a smoothie. The Happy lunch box contains a smoothie, Goji Berry tea, chicken curry and nut mix, and an energy bar.
Freshly is a New York-based all-natural, fresh, healthy meal delivery service. A Registered Nutritionist created it with a Chef. The meals are delicious and nutritious. The rotating menu includes over 50 options to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
A Registered Nutritionist prepares the meals with Chef and not a doctor.
Some restaurants in the U.K. joined the new Dispatch meal-kit platform. This is an excellent example of how the pandemic can be used to spur innovation. Angela Hartnett, a London chef, said that “launching Cafe Murano and Dispatch kept our doors open through the pandemic. It generated a substantial source of revenue which allowed us to keep our chefs and restaurant staff busy.” We have been over whelmed by the positive feedback from our customers all over the country. Dispatch founder Peter Butler said that the goal was to create a new, profitable revenue stream for restaurants while allowing everyone to enjoy high-quality menus regardless of where they live.
Many businesses continue to embrace remote work as a way to stay competitive. Some companies have stopped offering remote work after average dining returns, but others continue to provide it, realizing that remote working is a part of the future.
2. Silent retreats
Many of us want to unplug, with screen time increasing by more than 75% in 2020 alone. In the post-Covid age, more people value wellness. This trend has been met by retreats that are entirely silent and unplugged from the world of technology. These retreats offer guests the opportunity to relax without interruptions from technology or even no interruptions at all. Silent retreats are designed to silence all noise and allow you to recharge, reset and focus inwardly. Participants can also be asked to vow to remain silent for a set period. These retreats are said to increase mindfulness and help with insomnia. Some research even suggests that mindfulness may improve immune system health. A study comparing the brain activity of regular meditators with those who didn’t regularly meditate showed that non-meditators had lower activation in specific brain regions. This result was interpreted as an increase in brain efficiency. Silent retreats may not appeal to everyone, but all can benefit from quiet and stillness in a beautiful, natural setting like Devon, England, with the Sharpham Trust, an internationally-recognized center for mindfulness retreats. Or Vana retreat is located in India on the slopes of a mango and lychee plantation. It’s an international ashram that offers a sanctuary and wellness retreat.
3. Staycations
More people are choosing to travel to places close to their homes because of the pandemic. The staycation is here for good. This has been a considerable income and foot traffic for local hotels and hospitality. It’s also a cheap way to relax. The Isle of Wight in the U.K. has seen a rise in a staycation. It is located off the south coast of England and only three hours away from London by car, train, or ferry. The island is known for its lustful beaches and impressive Roman villa. It also boasts 65 miles of coastline. Kip Hideaways has a selection of 120 unique and stylish U.K. boltholes. These include cottages and eco-friendly cabins, treehouses and studios with sea views, and more luxurious and cozy cottages. Staycation packages are offered by countryside hotels such as Ellenborough Park at the Cotswolds edge. Even in quieter months, Albion House at Ramsgate reports a significant increase in bookings.
4. Wellness-oriented Hotel
The industry is acknowledged to this demand by focusing on wellness and health. Many hotels offer wellness solutions, and other businesses can help customers find them. HotelGyms.com allows users to search for the best hotels with the most gyms. This innovative platform uses artificial intelligence and a gym rating system called GymFactor to make fitness lovers’ holidays a success. It can recommend accommodations near the best gyms or sports facilities, suggest nearby gyms if the hotel’s gym is insufficient, and even suggest running routes. HotelGyms.com gives you instant access to thousands of hotels near your destination. It ranks the hotels according to their fitness facilities and allows you to book the hotel of your dreams through websites like Booking.com.
More hotels are now using this Swiss startup to promote their health and fitness offerings to their guests. A great example of a hotel that focuses on wellness is Westin London City. Through its innovative programming, the Westin London City hotel represents six of the brand’s pillars of health – Sleep Well. Eat Well. Move Well. Feel Well. Work Well. Play-Well. Six treatment rooms, a 12-meter indoor pool, a fitness studio with TRX(r), and Peloton bikes make up the Heavenly(T.M.). The spa’s 370-square-meter area includes six treatment rooms. The RunWESTIN (T.M.) program offers specially-designed running routes that take advantage of the Thames River Path. Guest’s are encouraged to explore the surrounding area. The wellness program may include yoga, breathing exercises, and other activities.
Health, a health optimization and longevity center. The new offerings include Ozone Therapy, Stem Cell Therapy, and Exosomes Therapy. They are designed for travelers looking for a more luxurious spa experience.
5. Hypercleanliness
Hygiene is essential. Spraying disinfectant on furniture and other furnishings in the guest rooms by a hotel cleaner
While cleanliness has been an important factor in the tourism and travel industry, it is now more critical than ever that hotels and travel agencies are focusing on this. Hyper-cleanliness has become the norm, with everything from contactless payments to self check-in to multiple sanitations per day. The U.K. introduced a “good-to-go” cleanliness certification to ensure COVID 19 compliance. It was issued by The National Tourist Organisations of Great Britain & Northern Ireland. Although the certification is no longer valid, many of these enhanced cleaning procedures are still in use, which helps to reassure guests.
