Several global hotel and branding experts were asked to complete this thought in 30 words or less: “In 2020, hotel branding will …” Following are responses we received:
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Sajith Ansar, founder & CEO of Spice Holding Group, which includes Idea Spice, a Dubai-based branding company that helps homegrown brands compete and grow rapidly in emerging markets: “In 2020, hotel branding will revolve around unique and customized consumer engagements. It will not be about expressing luxury but about bespoke experiences.” |
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Jonathan Tisch, chairman of Loews Hotels, which owns and/or operates 23 hotels in the U.S. and Canada that thrive on having local flavor: “In 2020, hotel branding will need to be even more specific and transparent so as to effectively put forth or sell the promise and proposition of a flag. The well-educated and savvy traveler will have so many choices and will want to know that their expectations will be exceeded, or else they will look elsewhere.” |
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Walter Isenberg, president and CEO of Sage Hospitality, which owns and/or operates more than 60 hotels in the U.S.: “In 2020, hotel branding will be incredibly creative. The new generation of traveler wants experiences and convenience. Brands will need to learn how to bend the rules to fit each guest.” |
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Michael Levie, COO of CitizenM Hotels, an Amsterdam-based brand with seven properties open and a mission to bring affordable luxury to the masses: “In 2020, hotel branding will be as important as it is today—it might look and be achieved differently. Brand is more than just a name and a logo, or association with the big brands. Business segmentation will shift to channel source; ‘gross revenue’ will just be a figure, ‘net revenue’ the real game (difference is distribution cost, brand fees, online marketing and OTA commission); and brand service will need to be an ‘experience.’” |
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Jim Holthouser, executive VP of global brands for Hilton Worldwide Holdings, which has 4,250 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 700,000 rooms in 93 countries and territories in its portfolio: “In 2020, hotel branding will be defined less by the hotel’s physical brick and mortar and more by the consistent delivery of the brand’s iconography and culture.” |
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Hamish Dodds, president and CEO at Hard Rock International, which has 21 hotels: “In 2020, hotel branding will be far more customized, and while hoteliers will continue to strive for a strong international presence, they must be aware of the challenges in ensuring the brand remains consistent across various markets, all the while respecting and acknowledging the local culture and interpretation of each destination.” |