United Airlines is tweaking its long-haul network with two notable changes.
09.10.2023 - 13:09 / thepointsguy.com
If hotel companies behaved like high school cliques, Hilton would definitely be a forward-thinking tech nerd.
The company is typically ahead of the pack with things like mobile check-in and checkout, digital key technology and connecting room guarantees with its online reservations system. So, when Hilton puts out a report on where it sees future travel trends heading, it's usually smart to tune in and see what the forecast is. The industry is likely to follow.
The company's 2024 Trends Report examines how travelers of all ages, from Generation Z to baby boomers, look to interact with a hotel during a stay — and how that might impact your next trip.
The company points to one of its newer brands, Tempo, when touching on how wellness trends increasingly impact how Hilton approaches design and operations at its hotels. Tempo, which debuted this year in New York City's Times Square, includes various mechanisms to help guests sleep better. A charging puck for smartphones is meant to promote leaving a phone on the nightstand instead of scrolling and looking at the screen well past bedtime.
Canopy by Hilton features sleep-enhanced bedding with features like temperature-controlled and supportive mattresses. Motto by Hilton includes sound-absorbing surroundings in its guest rooms.
Expect to see more sleep features — perhaps quieter ones — in the future, as Hilton notes nearly 10% of travelers around the world travel with a white noise machine. The company estimates that 20% of global travelers request rooms away from elevators or on a higher floor to get away from any noise.
The company is also monitoring how nearly 20% of travelers admit to bringing their own pillow to a hotel stay to ensure better sleep. You can already point to pillow libraries at nicer hotels like Japan's Conrad Osaka or the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah as a sign hotels are picking up on this trend. We'll be curious how this travel trend plays out on a more mainstream level at Hilton brands like Home2 and Tru.
The company also emphasized ways it is looking to court travelers who increasingly look to consume nonalcoholic beverages for a variety of reasons. The wellness report noted a quarter of Gen Z travelers avoid alcohol before bedtime. But the company doesn't take this as a sign Gen Z travelers are heading to bed early; they just aren't drinking as many alcohol-fueled drinks.
The company highlighted its nonalcoholic (or "free-spirited") cocktail menu at Tempo as one way Hilton can appeal to all travelers. A company presentation indicated some travelers even alternate between spirited and free-spirited drinks throughout the night.
"We don't want to be didactic about how we engage with wellness and our guests," said Amanda
United Airlines is tweaking its long-haul network with two notable changes.
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A watch was assembled for the first time at an altitude of over 30,000 ft, thanks to a unique collaboration between Geneva Tourism and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). A groundbreaking collaboration between Geneva Tourism, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), and SWISS has emerged to celebrate Swiss quality and craftsmanship. At a cruising altitude of 30,000 ft, a watch was meticulously assembled during an unexpected watchmaking workshop on SWISS airline’s Geneva to New York flight, showcasing the precision, craftsmanship, and watchmaking expertise of Geneva. The assembly was carried out by a flight crew member, accompanied by an independent master watchmaker. This unique and unprecedented watch will be unveiled alongside the 84 watches from the official pre-selection of the GPHG traveling exhibition in New York, where standing it will stand as a testament to Swiss excellence. Adrien Genier, Director of Geneva Tourism and member of the GPHG Foundation Board, who was attending the flight, explained the project’s genesis: “As the capital of fine watchmaking, Geneva shines the light on the entire industry worldwide. This one-of-a-kind precision endeavor allows us to take this craftsmanship on a journey.” Romain Vetter, SWISS Director for Western Switzerland, added, “Assembling a watch at 30,000 ft altitude is a fusion of two sectors that represent Swiss quality and reliability. SWISS is thrilled to enable this high-flying assembly.”
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Look up and it will be hard to miss the towering, slightly undulating, 101-story St. Regis Chicago. Designed by the female architect Jeanne Gang and perched on the easternmost edge of Chicago’s Downtown Loop area, the gleaming structure, the city’s third tallest building is making a splash in the hotel world.
Visiting Acadia National Park, located on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine, has been at the top of my dream destination list for years. It's also one of the busiest national parks in the country, with nearly 4 million visitors last year.