Luxury hotels that dabble in the native cuisine, explore the surrounding area and delve into the local culture will stand out to consumers and help the properties get ahead of their competitors since these packages provide experiences that cannot be emulated elsewhere.
Since luxury consumers are known to research their trips and hunt for exclusive experiences, putting together well-curated packages that immerse guests in new realms may boost the number of bookings. Investigating the nuances of the local culture and environment is becoming more popular and should not be overlooked when trying to attract guests.
"Many of the large hotel chains are approaching these factors on multiple levels," said Damon M. Banks, director of DMB Public Relations, New York.
"A great example of this is the Kimpton Hotels, which has an entire division dedicated to this very purpose," he said.
"The Earth Care Program was developed to support a sustainable world, and reflect the values of their employees, guests and investors by using non-intrusive, high quality, eco-friendly products and services at all Kimpton hotels and restaurants."
Nitpicking nuances
The local environment is a facet of a hotel's identity that can not be studied, repurposed and repackaged elsewhere.
Engulfing the local culture with a single package should not be the aim. However, hotels should strive to find the right combination of activities, events and locations.
"From the aesthetics of a property to the available guest activities, luxury hotels are becomingly increasingly aware of the importance of authenticity," said Taylor Rains, account coordinator at Rawle Murdy Associates, Charleston, SC.
"Guests are looking for a luxury experience from their hotel, there's no question about that, but oftentimes they are also looking for an authentic cultural experience as well," he said."Those two elements were thought to be mutually exclusive until recently.
"In the past several years, luxury hotel brands have found effective ways to integrate the local look and feel while retaining what makes their respective brand unique."
Forage for fun
Cuisine can be an alluring center piece for locally sourced packages. Food inevitably varies from region to region, so gathering exquisite flavors can set a particular package apart.
Luxury hotels have incorporated local cuisine into hotel offers.
For example, Waldorf Astoria Park City, UT, is reaching out to ultimate foodies with a package that has the hotel's chef guide guests through the Wasatch Mountain Range on a foraging journey. Guests will then use the ingredients they gather for a custom-prepared meal by chef Clement Galas.
During the foraging trip, guests can picnic with their choice of wine or locally crafted beer.
People at nearby farmer's markets and restaurants may carry useful ingredients and information.
"A great way that many hotels and restaurants are providing further support to the communities is by buying local and supporting these local farmers and merchants," DMB Public Relations' Mr. Banks said.
"This is often a win-win, as the food is often fresher and cheaper," he said.
"Farm-to-table within the hospitality industry is a great movement growing in popularity."
There's more… continue reading the full article on Luxury Daily.
