The Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality

06.01.2024 - 19:43 / skift.com / Colin Nagy

I last checked in at the half-year, highlighting the few brands, ideas, and services that deserved a hat tip for their executions. There were a lot of exciting ideas: At that point, we’d gone from the precariousness of a global pandemic into a full-throttle, growth sprint for luxury. Interest in high-end experiences continued to surge, along with eye-watering room rates.  

In a sense, hospitality is in the catbird seat: It is in the business of human relationships, care, and empathy. And it exists in the real, physical world.

Other industries may get blown apart by AI. The core hospitality business will remain unchanged: Care, detail, and rarity are among the details that make a luxury experience and they all can continue to exist and be elevated. 

And many brands are embracing change and pushing forward. The industry gets a tad too obsessed with the latest “best-of” lists. I’ve handpicked the brands and experiences I highlight below and believe they execute with integrity and have a strong point of view. Be sure to go deeper with me on the brands and the ideas and leaders behind them with my Skift Ideas Podcast. 

: I’ve long been a fan of the Trunk Hotel in Tokyo, and their recent addition on Yoyogi Park feels like a refuge in the urban jungle. It’s a sleek, minimal yet plush boutique situated in one of the most interesting parts of Tokyo. The rooftop pool, overlooking the foliage with a chic oyster bar is the icing on the cake. 

: For a hotel that has so much history and importance to the neighborhood, it takes a deft hand to not screw it up. Fortunately the refresh of the Chelsea stalwart is inspired: They tapped into the history of the hotel, added some familiar touches from its other rock & roll hotel, the Bowery, and added an essential lobby bar. 

: The Georgian is the b-side to the other essential stay in Santa Monica, the Proper Hotel. The team re-booted an art-deco classic dating back to 1933, adding a dose of historical gravitas and much-neeeded elegance to Westside LA. 

I’ve taken to calling Awasi the “Singita of South America.” It operates at a high level of luxury, and have similar approaches to conservation. Guests have high levels of privacy, and the brand has taken the safari concept of game drives that punctuate the day into their properties in Atacama, Iguazu, and Patagonia.

Similar to conservation efforts in Africa, the team has been rehabilitating land and restoring the habitat of native species. Pumas are currently returning to an area that was previously devoid of wildlife and Awasi guides help monitor the growing populations and keep hunters away. 

We saw a sneak preview of it in the movie, but after a long wait, Abu Dhabi’s new Midfield Terminal A has opened. The Middle East