Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2017 | Page 22

SPOTLIGHT ON Roger Allen Group CEO – Resources for Leisure Assets Roger and his team pioneered the concept of wellbeing hospitality, working with hotel owners and investors across four continents to better understand this mega-trend influencing the hotel industry. He talks about how wellbeing touchpoints need to be integrated throughout the hotel experience and how owners and investors need to determine the right balance of real estate investment and activities for their target market to generate a worthy ROI. How are the wellbeing needs and desires of hotel guests having an impact on the hospitality industry? The benefits of attaining a greater sense of wellbeing are growing daily as society becomes more informed and technically in-tuned with health consciousness and increasing longevity expectations. Additionally, travel and the new experiences it brings are more accessible than ever before, which is further driving a higher demand for attractions and service provisions that meet a wide range of health and wellbeing needs within hospitality destinations. 22 ILHA Today’s hotel guest is interested in alternative wellbeing experiences and personalized healthier options which may not even be labeled ‘healthy’ or ‘wellness’. No longer are guests exclusively looking for a place or a dedicated space, per se (such as a spa or wellness center). As a result, more developers recognize that wellbeing is not just a trend but a tremendous opportunity to innovate and differentiate their hotel property and meet the needs of diverse consumer demographics. From hi-tech millennials, to Gen X to the baby boomers and the senior category, in addition, gender preferences, guests are not uniform and the evolution of the market will result in specific expectations from different market segments. These diverse categories of specialization require careful market analysis to determine the “wellbeing” concept and selection of amenities and services that will best meet the needs of a hospitality group’s target markets. Proactive organizations recognize they need to be positioned to meet market expectations for wellbeing programs and services that are reflected in every department, not just in a spa or wellness center.