2 trend spotting websites hoteliers can’t afford to miss

As finances are stretched tighter and the market becomes increasingly competitive, hoteliers are challenged to stay on top of the hottest trends in order to bring something fresh to their guests and remain competitive.  A great way to stay current with the latest styles in fashion, travel, design, amenities, music and boutique brands from around the globe is to browse some of the fascinating trend watching websites that are filled with inspirational ideas a creative hotelier can adopt.

The Cool Hunter is one of the most recognized sites to track trends – and its founder Bill Tikos has also recently published “The World’s Coolest Hotel Rooms“, a fascinating peek into some of the most fantastic and creative spaces in hospitality.

Another on-the-money site is Trendwatching.com, which not only reports on the latest and greatest ideas but categorizes them into identifiable customer clusters and behavior patterns.  You’ll undoubtedly recognize some of your guests in these trends – and also gather ideas of how you can meet their needs.  In addition to free monthly emails, they publish an annual report of trends likely to develop in the next year. The InterContinental Hotel Group is one of many high-profile subscribers. Well if it’s good enough for them, it’s probably good enough for you too!

(Bonus site from Josiah: “I also like to watch Springwise, which delivers new business innovations from around the world.  You may be especially interested in their Tourism & Travel channel.”)