Cannes (06) What if the new weapon against Airbnb came from the hotel industry? Establishments and concepts are emerging to better meet the expectations of new generations of customers.
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| From left to right: Thomas Yung, Solenne Devys and Thibault Viort. |
Solenne Devys, to Okko Hotels, and Thibault Viort, head of disruption for Accorhotels, were gathered around Thomas Yung during a workshop at the e-tourism fair #VEM8organized in Cannes, to explain their vision of the new hotelier profession. While quality nights remain the essential product, the codes are changing around the hotel's living spaces. Inspired by the motto of Serge Trigano for Mama Shelter ("I created living spaces with bedrooms above")These hotels want to get back to basics and leave the gadgets in their place.
In these new hotels, the first disruption lies in the profile and training of employees. This is especially true for AccorHotels' new brands. Jo&Joe, "We recruit personalities, not necessarily qualifications." explains Thibautl Viort. "The staff's soft skills are more important than their technical skills. You learn the technical skills, not the soft skills." explains Thomas Yung. At Okko Hotels, "To train our new employees, we work hand in hand with the tour operators," explains Solenne Devys. Because hoteliers are ambassadors for a destination and must enhance their guests' stay with real added value. Customer reviews also take on a managerial dimension at Okko, thus, "When a first name is mentioned positively in a TripAdvisor review, the hotelier is rewarded.""
"Airbnb shouldn't be the only one offering customers freedom and autonomy."
Based on the principle that the »"We spend little time in the bedroom, more time in the living areas."Okko has chosen to optimize room size to focus on larger living spaces. Based on her observations of the international hotel industry and the behavior of Airbnb customers, Solenne Devys decided to offer an alternative, with an all-inclusive club, from breakfast to evening aperitivo. "Airbnb shouldn't be the only one offering customers freedom and autonomy," she argues. And the local aspect is at the heart of this offer because " more "Nobody wants a standardized menu in hotel restaurants."
If hotels in London are places where people live all day long, that's also the bet being made by the Jo&Joe brand, in whose hotels we might witness the return of the " pinball and foosballBeyond the anecdote, the main challenge for this brand is to keep their establishments going through a clever mix of local and tourist clientele. “Community, content, and commerce are the key words of the hotel experience,” concludes Thibault Viort.
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With kind permission from the Journal de l'Hôtellerie