#Trending This Week - Luxe Bar Carts, Gen Z And Travel, Changes In The Meetings Industry, And Overnight Train Travel
Issue 185 • April 9, 2024
We reported about it months ago and are happy to see the predictions of a boom in travel due to yesterday’s solar eclipse proved true. So here are a few new items to keep on your radar. TABLESIDE CARTS are returning to dining rooms across the US, but this time they are holding luxury cocktails prepared tableside as well as premium upsells like caviar. If you operate a hotel with a LARGE GROUP SPACE, you might notice a definite shift in bookings. In fact, the meetings industry is seeing a much shorter work week due to the fact that Mondays and Fridays are prime work-from-home days and corporations are hesitant to ruin that vibe by scheduling meetings outside of the Tuesday through Thursday schedule. GENERATION Z is the next demographic we will be watching closely in the travel space and we have some good news for you as they seem to place travel as their top priority in terms of expenditures. They do have very specific criteria for how they choose a travel destination and hotel. And climate-conscious travelers are starting to make a move toward OVERNIGHT TRAIN TRAVEL — particularly in Europe as airlines are cutting back on short haul flights. Check it all out in our three-minute read below.
Luxe Bar Carts Upgrade The Cocktail Experience
Always in search of new ways to enhance the cocktail experience and stay relevant for customers, restaurants and bars continually reinvent their cocktail and dining offerings. This time, it’s the advent of over-the-top tableside bar cart where luxe trolleys deliver personalized cocktail service to diners. We are talking martini, champagne, and highball carts. While Caesar salads, prime rib carved tableside, and bananas foster flambéed tableside were once dining staples, this time the tableside carts are an upsell of fine cocktails as well as caviar at some spots too. Read more in Eater here.
The Meetings Industry Is Seeing Shortened Weeks
Hotels with significant meeting facilities may be noticing its harder to fill their space on Mondays and Fridays. That’s because with many companies offering remote work — mainstay work-from-home days are Mondays and Fridays — they are hesitant to schedule meetings at the beginning and end of the week and therefore focusing on conferences Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Read more in Skift here.
Gen Z Spends Nearly Half Of Disposal Income On Travel
For Gen Z, behind the most basic essentials, travel is a top priority. According to the 2024 State of Student Travel Report from StudentUniverse, 78% of Gen Z travelers intend to take a vacation in the next 12 months and 18.3% of Gen Z travelers will allocate 40% or more of their disposable income toward their vacations. An additional 47.8% of respondents shared they will be dedicating 20 to 40% of their disposable income toward vacation. Read more in Thrillist here.
How Gen Z Makes Travel Decisions
And while we’re on the topic of Generation Z, let’s take a deeper dive into what motivates them. A Business Insider survey showed 43% believed travel is a more important goal than "advancing their education." Travel also ranked above "being creatively fulfilled" and "becoming debt-free." The deciding factors for Gen Z when selecting a vacation spot? Good food, natural scenery, and good value for their money. Read more in Business Insider here.
Overnight Travel By Train Is Gaining Momentum
Europe is really cracking down on short haul flights to cut down on carbon emissions. As a result, and because of a rising climate-consciousness among travelers, there’s been a boom in rail travel in Europe, night trains in particular. Trains are one of the least polluting forms of travel, fewer resources are being used on a train than in a hotel, and travelers experience more while on the ground than flying through the air — including waking up in the heart of a new city. Read more in World Nomads here and here.