How is the hospitality industry embracing the demand for experiences which improve wellbeing?
The hospitality industry is responding to guests’ rising demand for experiences that speak to their overall wellbeing by rethinking their value proposition. The industry is seeking to provide solutions to those areas that guests are becoming increasingly concerned about such as hygiene, safety and sustainability.
We are no stranger to the vast array of well-being products available from the beauty and leisure industries which promise to improve our health, vitality and happiness, but now it is time dig deeper into what the hospitality industry is doing to innovate and improve at a faster rate in order to embrace the new world that we are living in.
With many of the latest hotel openings choosing to put wellbeing at the heart of their proposition, it’s clear that the hospitality industry is responding to consumers’ need for a restorative trip that will help them rebalance their mind, body and spirit. Taking into consideration the challenges that we have faced since Covid-19 took over the world, it is increasingly important to escape the stress and fatigue of daily life in search of a relaxing, refreshing experience.
How has the need for wellbeing impacted the hospitality industry?
Research from McKinsey found that 79% of consumers say that well-being is a matter of great importance to them, a significant figure which reflects the increase in the prioritisation of wellness which has occurred in the last 2-3 years. The hospitality industry has responded to this increased awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing by putting its customer’s wellbeing concerns at the heart of their plans and innovations.
Providing a spa, fitness center or nutritious food is now no longer enough and the industry must innovate quickly with a particular focus on hygiene and sustainability to keep up with the wellbeing trend. ‘Wellness architecture’ is a new concept which focuses on designing beautiful spaces which approach both the physical and mental needs of their occupants. These architects take into account every decision from natural and artificial lighting to the use of colour and natural materials to promote a positive mind set and healthy life.
Hospitality getaways can provide us with a vital connection with nature
A fundamental part of the new wellbeing trend in the hospitality industry is implementing plans which allow guests to feel more connected to nature. By taking inspiration from and basing the design of their hotels on Biophillic Design (a concept that brings the natural world into a built environment), we are seeing fresh and inventive ways in which hotels are reflecting nature to allow their guests to feel calm and rejuvenated.
An example of this hospitality design movement is the ‘Parkroyal Collection Pickering’ in Singapore which has been dubbed a ‘hotel in a garden.’ This breath-taking hotel blends into it’s environment by seamlessly incorporating 15,000 square meters of greenery into a zero-energy sky garden across the hotels facade. Drawing inspiration from the the Hong Lim Park, found across the street, the planter terraces, green walls and landscaping feature a diverse variety of local trees, palms and plants for both the people and the insects and birds to enjoy, encouraging bio-diversity in the city. From the large windows that allow natural light to pour in, to the blue and green glass used to create a patina which brings to mind the adjacent Singapore River, every element of this hotel has been meticulously thought out to positively influence the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
Image by ParkRoyal Collection Pickering
Putting wellbeing at the heart of every design decision
So crucial is the need to nurture guests’ wellbeing, architects and designers are now putting this requirement at the heart of all their creative decisions. As a company, at Sekers we are doing our best to make specifying fabrics for projects that aim to focus on hygiene, safety and sustainability easier. We are proud to be the exclusive UK brand partner of FR-One, the industry-leader in inherently fire retardant furnishing fabrics. To combat safety and sustainability concerns, our FR-One fabrics are proven to be environmentally safe and not harmful to human health, meeting the most stringent Oeko-tex environmental standards relating to production, sustainability and ecology. We can also guarantee that our FR-One fabrics meet the most demanding fire standards in order to keep your guests and your hotel safe.
With their strong interest in the requirements of our consumers and our environment, FR-One have set out to re-use, recycle and ultimately RE-Invent their own ranges. As a result they have created the new RE-Invent range which features six new collections, among these FR-One showcases three new fabric constructions, manufactured from recycled polyester and fully certified and compliant with the Global Recycling Standard (GRS). This concise range includes timeless and proven best-sellers that have been thoughtfully reinvented for today’s consumer to encourage appreciation of the value of quality and proven products. Visit our FR-One page to explore the RE-Invent range.
The Importance of Hygiene
Sekers also have an range of anti-bacterial and anti-microbial contract fabrics. Our Aquaclean ranges have a nano-technology finish which boasts double protection: by restricting microbial activity and preventing penetration of the fabric. Aquaclean’s Safe Front finish, a nano-technology finish which creates a surface that microbes cannot thrive on, was found to be 98% effective against a feline coronavirus strain under ISO 18184:2019. To read more about Aquaclean, read our blog ‘Anti-Microbial: Let’s Get Specific’.