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EVERYTHING IS If there’s one common thread that we’ve seen
throughout the hospitality industry in recent years
— from vacation rentals and private accommo-
CONVERGING dations to luxury hotels, timeshares, and hostels
— it’s that the traditional demarcations between
lodging categories are all starting to blur.
IN HOSPITALITY Hostels are borrowing from posh luxury hotels in

terms of elevating the guest experience. Midscale
hotels are looking to hostels for inspiration on
how to “activate” their public spaces. Camping
has become glamping. The operators behind
new boutique apartment rental brands like Lyric,
Sonder, and The Guild are borrowing what they’ve
learned from boutique and lifestyle hotels. And
even homesharing is becoming more hotel-like
with the advent of new products like Airbnb Plus.

And the truth is, while the industry itself may IF THERE’S ONE COMMON
be puzzled by all these blurred lines, consumers
aren’t — or they just don’t care. THREAD THAT WE’VE SEEN
THROUGHOUT THE HOSPITALITY
“In the hospitality industry, there’s this massive
convergence taking place right now,” said Simon INDUSTRY IN RECENT YEARS —
Lehmann, CEO and founder of AJL Consulting
and the former CEO of Interhome, a Swiss home FROM VACATION RENTALS AND
rental platform. “All different types of hospitality PRIVATE ACCOMMODATIONS TO
are becoming one, dependent on the consum-
er’s requirement. The consumer is looking for LUXURY HOTELS, TIMESHARES,
whatever he requires at that moment from hospi- AND HOSTELS — IT’S THAT THE
tality. Most people don’t even know what they
are booking, whether it’s a serviced apartment TRADITIONAL DEMARCATIONS
rental or a hotel. The convergence taking place
is not being driven by the hospitality industry, BETWEEN LODGING CATEGORIES
but by the consumer.” ARE ALL STARTING TO BLUR.

Think about your own travels, and Lehmann’s
explanation for how everything in hospitality is
converging begins to make more sense.

Skift Take: For instance, a traveler might be traveling for
This is the year the hospitality work and prefers to stay in a traditional full-ser-
vice hotel, but if she brings along her husband,
industry starts seeing itself the or her family, she might opt for a homeshare
or vacation rental instead. One day, she might
same way its guests do. want to stay in a tent; the next, she might want
to stay in a five-star luxury resort.
Writer: Deanna Ting
Does she particularly care about the type of
accommodation that she’s booked, or whether
it’s midscale or upper midscale? Likely not; all she
Sponsored by Illustrator: Bett Norris cares is that it’s a good experience that meets
her needs for that particular trip.

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