Hospitality expert says travellers ‘want to be educated’ during trips

Luxury travellers are seeking to “really learn something” about the destinations they travel to and are looking beyond traditional hotel experiences, according to the chief executive of Independent Hospitality Associates (IHA).

Lucas Johansson, who leads the Swiss-based white-label hotel management company, said a trend towards customers “connecting with locals” and taking off-the-beaten-track tours had accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic, with many opting to take fewer trips but spend longer in destinations.

An example of such tours is Freetown Christiana in Copenhagen – an anarchist commune with its own rules, ‘hippy’ ideals and internal cannabis trade, despite the drug being illegal in the rest of the country.

Johansson also reported the success of properties which nominate a “local hero” to spotlight, using as an example the Hotel Metropole in Geneva which highlights the life’s work of 1950s Swiss travel writer Nicolas Bouvier through a bar concept and cocktails featuring influences from all the countries he travelled to.

Johansson said such unique and educational aspects can put luxury hotels at the very top of the pyramid of service – providing guests with “self-actualisation” through learning. He said travellers recognise this opportunity and he believes there is “no limit to what you can charge for it.”

Another trend highlighted by Johansson was significant growth and interest in medical longevity and wellness, although he also noted an expectation for flexibility in hotels’ food and beverage offering, with both “indulgence” and nutritious options on the menu.

He said: “For luxury travellers, the feeling of leaving a trip better than you arrived – whether through learning or wellness – is priceless.”