As the digital shift accelerates, there’s no room for half-measures in guest experience strategies. No longer is it sufficient for hotels to offer a bed and a breakfast — today’s travelers demand seamless, tech-enabled experiences from the moment they start searching for a stay to the moment they check out. Hotels face a dual challenge in this evolving landscape: It’s not enough to simply keep pace with technology — they must strategically employ it to meet guest expectations and stand out from the competition.

While the technological landscape shapes guest experiences broadly, the generational divide sharpens it. Gen Z travelers, raised with smartphones in hand, often have a very different set of priorities for their hotel stay compared to the millennial travelers who transitioned into the digital age. These different expectations have notable consequences for the industry, affecting everything from booking methods to in-room amenities, payment processes, and more. A seamless, almost invisible payment process can enhance the guest experience, while efficient, time-saving software that’s integrated across the guest journey can make a meaningful difference. Moreover, technology and generational shifts are not static — they’re evolving trends that will continue to shape traveler expectations.

“It’s tough being a hotelier. Increasingly demanding guests want everything to be faster, easier, and more personalized. This means that hotels are having to fight harder than ever to win and retain guest loyalty as travel returns to normal levels,” said Lennert De Jong, president, hospitality, at Planet.

How do these nuances impact hotel choices, and what should industry professionals be doing to adapt their offerings? A new survey of over 6,500 travelers across 19 different countries, conducted by Planet, provides key insights into the psyche of the modern guest, offering a panoramic view of current trends, preferences, and opportunities for hospitality professionals.

With insights broken down on a global, regional, and country level, the report offers a multidimensional view of the intricate factors shaping guest choices. This layered understanding of what travelers want opens new avenues for personalization and service customization, with direct implications for a hotel’s bottom line. By synthesizing data and behavioral patterns from travelers today, industry professionals can adapt their strategies and make informed decisions about “the guest of the future.”

In this report, you’ll find:

  • Survey data based on responses from 6,500+ guests across 19 countries
  • Comprehensive data and insights on each stage of a guest’s journey, from booking to check-out
  • A comparative study on Gen Z vs. millennials and what sets them apart in their hotel journeys
  • Predictive insights on “the guest of the future”
  • An outline of key opportunities in today’s dynamic hospitality landscape
  • Recommendations on how hotel professionals can adapt and innovate to meet the evolving needs of the modern traveler