Home | Industry Insights | Cultivating Luxury – An Insight Into The Evolving Preferences And Expectations Of Luxury Travellers In The UK In 2024
Cultivating Luxury – An Insight Into The Evolving Preferences And Expectations Of Luxury Travellers In The UK In 2024
PoB Hotels is the leading collection of the finest, independent hotels across the British Isles including properties such as Rockliffe Hall, The Fife Arms and Lucknam Park. Looking at the expected dynamic UK travel trends for 2024, Kalindi Juneja, CEO of PoB Hotels, outlines the key domestic guest expectations and travel plans that will significantly influence travellers within the next 12 months. Focusing on the findings from the inaugural PoB Hotels’ Whitepaper, Kalindi details a comprehensive perspective on the ever-evolving landscape of the British travel and luxury market, diving into the key trends for luxury travellers this year: Palate-led Holidays will Lead the Way in 2024 Food and drink certainly seem to stand out as the foremost point of interest for travellers considering staycations, capturing an impressive 82% of their interests. According to our Whitepaper, hotels that were situated in more rural settings with high-quality on-site restaurants and bars are of particular interest to guests. A number of our members feature award-winning or Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Dining Room at Gravetye Manor, Restaurant Hywel Jones at Lucknam Park and SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House. Coincidentally, we have just launched Seasoned to Perfection which plays on this theme of palate-led holidays, showcasing Britain’s rich food culture and produce. This new initiative has been designed to take guests on a fine dining adventure around the British Isles with a mouth-watering star-studded programme consisting of a series of Six-Hand dinner events hosted at some of the most fabulous luxury hotels in the Cotswolds, Sussex and Cumbia. Guests will experience the highest-quality cuisine from local, seasonal produce at some of the country’s most beautiful hotels. Exploring the World through Slow Travel We’ve seen over the last few years that consumers are prioritising a greater emphasis on wellness, focusing on a need to slow down, relax and soak in time away from home to reconnect with oneself or loved ones. The concept of slow travel is continuing to grow in popularity, encouraging travellers to savour every moment of a journey to create cherished memories and delve deeper into a destination. Last summer we launched PoB Breaks as a celebration of slow travel, inviting guests to discover a destination by connecting with local people, culture and food at their own pace. Whether it’s a holiday filled with thrilling excursions, an immersion into the history of the British Isles, a visit through some of Britain’s expanding vineyards, or one centred around food, there is ample to inspire a PoB Break. We have curated a series of immersive journeys which are bookable via our website, however, we also encourage our guests to design one for themselves to curate their perfect road trip – visiting a particular place or focusing on a specific theme! The Importance of Wellness and Mental RespiteFollowing on from the growing trend of slow travel, wellness and rejuvenation are key components of domestic holidays with guests continuing to relax and recharge during staycations – no matter how long the length of stay – to seek respite from the demands of daily life. Our Whitepaper revealed that 66% of emerging and HNWIs consider wellness features as incredibly important when deciding what hotel and where to book. Luxury operators should now be fully integrating a variety of both physical and mental wellness offerings into their hotels to appeal to affluent guests. Examples of such offerings include pilates, yoga and personal training alongside specific wellbeing retreats, digital detoxes and mental health sessions. Personalisation is Key to Creating ConnectionsPersonalisation and curated experiences are becoming more important to the luxury traveller, not just from a wellness perspective but in the general operations. As a collection of hotels, PoB Hotels has personalisation deeply ingrained within the brand’s ethos – with each and every property championing individuality and fostering authentic, personalised experiences. From high-end service to quality care, PoB Hotels aims to create an unforgettable hospitality experience. And so, it’s important for properties to not to lose that personal touch and connection when using modern, user-friendly technology and apps within booking operations in order to suit the preferences of the affluent guest. Sustainability MattersSustainability continues to be integral to preserving our planet and this year, conscious travel will again be a key travel trend. Our Whitepaper highlighted just how important sustainability was when booking a hotel with an incredible 59% of respondents prioritising hotels that embrace sustainable and responsible practices. For hotels, it is necessary to establish and maintain credibility to implement sustainable principles across its daily operations – such an approach will not only resonate with guests but also reassure them that the hotel is committed to a genuine eco-friendly agenda. At PoB Hotels, we are committed to sustainability. As proud partners of EarthCheck – the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism – our mission is to keep any negative environmental impact to a minimum, preserving our planet for future generations. We have recently achieved silver status, with over 40% of our member hotels also embarking on this transformative, environmentally-conscious journey. There are a number of different travel trends that will continue to shape how guests travel this year. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the current economic climate, our study aims to shed light on these dynamic trends. For more information, please visit pobhotels.com
