#Trending This Week - Cocktail Tasting Menus, Sustainable Hotels, Wellness Tours, Loyalty Programs, And A NetFlix Restaurant
Issue 234 • February 18, 2025
Before we get to the trends of the week, we wanted to share some exciting news! JC Communications is now offering Curated #Trending Reports, which means you can order a report specifically made for your hotel, brand, tour operation, restaurant, etc. Through a detailed questionnaire, we’ll learn about your brand and its features and then deliver a report with the latest trends which can be applied to your organization. More details below. And now to what’s #Trending this week.
A new hotel is opening this spring which will TAKE HOTEL SUSTAINABILITY TO NEW HEIGHTS. This very thoughtful property is part of a new brand that prioritizes sustainable operations and moves them far beyond the re-use of sheets and towels. FORGET THE WINE PAIRING MENU, cocktail tasting menus are fast becoming a thing as consumers seek more immersive, fun, theatrical dining experiences. Wellness travel has been hot for a number of years and now MORE MAINSTREAM TOUR OPERATORS ARE FOCUSING ON WELLNESS TOURS for the traveler who has no interest in the eight countries in seven days type of tour. LOYALTY PROGRAMS ARE SHIFTING TO EXPERIENTIAL REWARDS versus counting miles and points as Gen Zers are more about the unique opportunities they can enjoy versus the miles they can accumulate. And with streaming television so popular, one STREAMING GIANT HAS OPTED TO CREATE A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP with its customers by giving them a taste of their favorite shows. Check it all out in our three-minute read below.
Taking Hotel Sustainability To New Heights
It’s time for hotels to move their sustainability actions beyond asking guests to reuse their sheets and towels. 1 Hotels, the nature-inspired luxury lifestyle brand founded by Barry Sternlicht, will open the 1 Hotel Seattle in April, and this hotel is completely reinventing what sustainability in hospitality should look like. This property will feature thoughtfully designed accommodations with touches of greenery and sustainably sourced materials in every room. Packages which include F&B dining credits also offer the option to donate the money to a local organization working to confront the climate crisis. The primary goal is to offer travelers a relaxing place to stay while peacefully coexisting with nature. Read more in Breaking Travel News here.
Cocktail Tasting Menus Are On The Rise
With wine sales plummeting, food and labor costs rising, and consumers after the ultimate dining experience, putting cocktails at the forefront of eating out makes good sense. Not only does it introduce an array of flavors, but it also matches the theatrical nature of cooking in a way wine never could and also opens an avenue for more adventurous nonalcoholic options. Read more in Punch here.
Tour Operators Are Adding Wellness Travel
Wellness travel is so hot that even tour operators are joining in on the trend. Rather than jump on a bus and race to see as many countries as possible during a week-long jaunt, tour organizers are recognizing many people today are in search of a more zen travel experience. As a result, consumers will now find tour options which include visits to several places within a single country for a deeper travel experience; luxury spa experiences at leading wellness properties; opportunities to connect with ancient spiritual traditions and learn mindfulness and meditation; ways to slow down and immerse themselves in nature; etc. Read more in Insider Travel Report here.
Loyalty Programs Now Focus On Experiences
While for years many travelers have spent their time counting points and miles, the reality is that loyalty programs are fast playing into the Experience Economy instead. More and more travelers — particularly Gen Z — are now placing greater value on the incredible and truly unique experiences a company can give them access to versus points or miles they can claim. Read more in Forbes here.
A Restaurant From A Streaming Giant
Here’s a great lesson in how corporations are creating lucrative brand extensions. NetFlix has just opened the NetFlix Bites Vegas restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. The restaurant enables NetFlix enthusiasts to see some of their favorite dishes make the transition from screen to table. But this is not the streaming giant’s first foray into dining. It also opened a pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles and helped put the boutique property where it was housed on the map. Read more in Food & Wine here.
INTRODUCING CURATED #TRENDING REPORTS
JC Communications has been producing its #Trending newsletter covering the hospitality, travel, food, and sustainability industries for over five years now to help owners, marketers, and publicity representatives leverage the latest trends as part of their sales and marketing strategies.
And now we are introducing Curated #Trending Reports exclusively created for individual hotels, hotel brands, resorts, restaurants, destinations, tour operators, etc. We’ll have a meeting with you and ask you to fill out a questionnaire to determine the key facilities, services, and USPs of your brand and then curate an exclusive personalized report of relevant trends which you can tap into as you plan your ongoing sales, marketing, and PR strategies.
For more information on the Curated #Trending Reports, reach out to Jane Coloccia at Jane@JCCommunicationsllc.com.