Beyond visiting popular tourist destinations or lounging on beaches, today's travelers are seeking authentic, immersive experiences that provide a deeper connection to the places they visit.
In this article, we'll explore the emerging trends that are not just changing how we travel but why we travel, presenting both challenges and opportunities for the future of the hotel industry.
The Rise of the Experience Economy
According to JLL’s 2025 Global Hotel Investment Outlook, the global lodging industry has found itself at the center of the growing ‘Experience Economy,’ which emphasizes experience-driven spending over product-centric consumption.
Hotels are now evolving beyond their traditional role as mere lodging facilities. JLL Hotels & Hospitality research team has postulated that they have morphed into the “third place”—vibrant, multifunctional spaces that cater to both travelers and locals alike. This evolution mirrors the increasingly fluid boundaries between our personal, professional and social lives, with today's hotels embracing roles as culinary destinations, co-working spaces, community gathering points and more.
By adopting this "third place" role, hotels are tapping into new revenue streams and fostering deeper connections with their communities, redefining the very essence of what a hotel can be in our modern, experience-driven world.
Personalization Through Advanced Technology
Technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is playing a crucial role in shaping experiential travel by enabling unprecedented levels of personalization. AI systems continue to evolve in analyzing vast amounts of public data to curate tailored marketing campaigns and suggested travel packages.
For travelers, AI has been revolutionizing pre-trip planning. Tools like ChatGPT are now being used to create customized itineraries with minimal input. Travelers can simply input a few keywords about their desired experience and AI can generate comprehensive itineraries, including both popular tourist attractions and lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
This technology allows travelers to efficiently plan their trips, getting diverse suggestions before they even book their destinations.
Booking platforms are also leveraging AI to enhance the travel planning process. For example, Booking.com's AI Trip Planner allows consumers to curate travel itineraries based on their interests without specifying a destination, shifting the focus from simply choosing a location to selecting an experience. This approach opens new possibilities for travelers, potentially introducing them to destinations they might not have considered otherwise.
While on-site, hotels are also leveraging AI and predictive analytics to proactively provide personalized services and amenities based on past guest behavior. This allows staff to focus on delivering exceptional service rather than determining guest needs.
The integration of AI in travel is not just about personalization but also about creating seamless, friction-free experiences. From AI-powered chatbots handling pre-arrival queries to smart room controls that learn guest preferences, the technology is enhancing every touchpoint of the guest journey.
As hotels continue to evolve into "third places," we can expect to see hotels leverage the power of AI to reconfigure their physical spaces and offerings to better align with guest preferences, ultimately enhancing the overall travel experience.
The Rise of Regenerative Travel
Regenerative travel has emerged as a key trend in experiential tourism, evolving beyond sustainable practices to actively contribute to destination well-being. According to
Booking.com’s annual survey, over 77 percent of travelers now express a desire to travel more sustainably.
Early adopters of regenerative practices are already seeing a competitive advantage. Places such as San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Costa Rica are now reaping the benefits with increased visitor numbers and higher tourist satisfaction rates. These destinations are not just preserving their natural and cultural assets but are actively improving them through tourism.
Hotels are also responding by curating hyper-local experiences that preserve regional traditions and offer authentic cultural exchanges. These activities range from participating in local harvests and cooking classes in locals’ homes to engaging in artisan workshops like glassblowing or traditional textile weaving.
Moving forward, the most successful hotels and destinations are going to be those that have moved beyond the concept of "do no harm" to embrace a model that actively gives back more than it takes, creating a positive legacy for both the environment and local communities.
The Convergence of Media, Culinary Tourism and Hotel Experiences
The rise of culinary tourism has become a significant trend in experiential travel, driven in part by popular media. Shows like Stanley Tucci's “Searching for Italy” and the late Anthony Bourdain's programs have inspired travelers to plan their trips around food experiences, transforming the way people approach travel and gastronomy.
Both TV-inspired travel and culinary tourism reflect the broader desire for immersive, authentic experiences that go beyond traditional sightseeing. These trends demonstrate how the hospitality industry is evolving to cater to travelers seeking more meaningful connections with the places they visit.
Hotels are also responding by creating more offerings that exceed traditional lodging, often incorporating local culinary traditions and cultural elements featured in popular media. One example is Four Seasons offering guests a 20-day White Lotus private jet excursion that stops at each of the resorts featured in the show.
This shift presents unique opportunities for the hotel industry to create experiences that appeal to both overnight guests and local visitors, further blurring the lines between travel and everyday life. Looking ahead, expect to see more hotels positioning themselves as destinations in their own right, offering authentic local experiences that cater to this growing demand for experiential travel.
The Wellness Revolution
The demand for transformative experiences has also fueled a boom in wellness-focused travel. Luxury brands like Aman and Six Senses have long catered to this market, but now, mainstream hotel chains are developing their own wellness-centric offerings.
These retreats go beyond traditional spa services, incorporating elements like meditation, yoga and even alternative therapies. The goal is to provide guests with tools for personal growth and self-improvement rather than just relaxation.
Interestingly, despite the increased integration of technology in travel, there's also a growing demand for tech-free experiences. This countertrend reflects a desire to escape the constant connectivity of modern life and find genuine, unmediated experiences. Some destinations are creating digital detox zones, allowing guests to disconnect from technology and reconnect with their surroundings and travel companions.
As hotels adapt to these trends, more properties offering dedicated wellness programs, transformational experiences and tech-free areas or packages will likely continue to gain popularity.
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, several factors will influence the evolution of experiential travel. As travelers seek out less crowded, more authentic experiences, opportunities for tertiary markets and outdoor destinations like national parks have seen an uptick over the past several years.
This shift has given birth to new accommodation concepts such as "glamping," blending luxury with the great outdoors.
For hotel operators and destination managers, the key will be creating unique experiences that generate demand within their own ecosystems. This may involve forging partnerships with local tour operators, artisans and cultural institutions. It could mean redesigning spaces to facilitate more interaction among guests and with the local community. Or it might require investing in technology that allows for more personalized service and seamless experience curation.
It is more important now than ever that hotel operators think beyond the traditional notion of simply providing accommodation. Instead, they must position themselves as gateways to unique, authentic experiences that can't be found elsewhere.
We must embrace this shift towards experiential travel, seeing it not as a challenge to overcome but as an opportunity to redefine what hospitality means. By doing so, we can create value not just for guests and stakeholders but for our communities and the world at large.
Susie Park is executive vice president, JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group.
This article was originally published in the May edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.