Is the Millennial traveller really a big travel market? Well, Millennia’s already outnumber Baby Boomers, according to the United Nations Department of Economic Social Affairs, and they’re starting to travel more. They have a very different outlook on what a hotel room should look like, what amenities or facilities should be offered by hotels and what sort of customer service they like most…so hoteliers should essentially pay attention to the new travel guest – one who was born between 1980’s to the early 2000’s.

What does the Millennial traveller like?

Millennia’s want authenticity when they stay at a hotel – they want to feel connected to the destination and environment they are in.  The Andaz brand (by Hyatt) captures this well – their motto is “arrive a visitor, depart a local” and it ensures that guests enjoy a local experience that is unique to the destination. Millennia’s don’t want fancy shampoos and silly amenities in their rooms – they want life changing experiences at hotels. They like spaces that are simple and functional in terms of their sleeping arrangements, with no fuss or frills but with gorgeous design and finishes. 

They want more eat and go options like take-away outlets or public spaces where food and beverage options are varied and social. They also demand free Wi-Fi – you’re dead in the water if you don’t do this. Millennia’s also are not afraid to offer feedback in real time – they will do it online, on social channels or TripAdvisor and they are not afraid to say it like it is. So if their experience is good – that’s good for you…if it’s bad, it’s really bad news for you.

We look at what international brands are offering:

Marriott are taking this new customer seriously, as are Hilton Worldwide and Best Western.  Best Western International have introduced ‘grab and go’ areas in their lobby’s (or reception areas), as well as coffee areas – all of which are open 24 hours a day. Smart TV’s in the bedrooms allow guests to stream content easily, with plenty of USB and power points available. Vending machines are also stocked with….wait for it….no, not cool drinks and sweets…rather, electronic goods.

The Hilton Worldwide lifestyle brand called Canopy has thrown out the traditional room service option and opted for something called Rise and Dine (which is essentially a bag of breakfast goods left hanging on your door handle in the morning). In addition to introducing cell phones as the new electronic room key (yep, the death of the traditional room key is almost upon us), guests can also check out via their cell phones and totally bypass the front desk. Crazy stuff!

Marriott’s AC Hotel brand have introduced blue-tooth enabled speakers, flat screen TV’s, showers that resemble spa’s and a hydration station on each floor (guests can fill up carafes of water and take this back to their rooms). The lobby has a shop that sells wines and snacks made by celebrity chefs, as well as a lounge that offers cocktails and tapas nibbles. There’s no business centre per say, but guests can make use of a library with computers and wireless printers at their leisure.

Do you want to stay in one of these hotels? Or, would you like to work at one of these hotels? Your answer very possibly lies in your age group – feel free to share in the comments section below but remember to tell us your age when you comment.

Image Credits

Image credit 1: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141028132817-63022181-what-do-millennials-want-in-a-hotel
Image credit 2: http://www.ojairesort.com/resort-art-activities.php 
Image credit 3: www.businessweek.com