It seems like 2024 was the year many hosts & operators woke up to the idea that experiential hospitality was not some fleeting trend, but the new frontier of hospitality. That means 2025 is the year to make it happen – no more talking the talk but walking the walk.
For some, experiential is still an enigma, with many wondering: is the juice really worth the squeeze? McKinsey projects the total worth of the travel experience market to be $3 trillion, so we believe it is. From organizing agritourism activities to one-of-a-kind artistic endeavors, the world of experiences is vast. Anyone with a unique skill can be brought to the property to host a bespoke workshop, and it pays to have a rolodex of exciting entertainers on-hand.
Traditionally it has been popular to just send hotel guests out into the destination with a trusted activity provider, acting more as a concierge than anything else. The problem with offering only off-site activities is that guests can book these on their own without you – cutting out the middleman. The real profit potential lies in bringing the experience TO the hotel to tap into higher ancillary revenue.
Siteminder’s Changing Traveler report found that travelers want their accommodation host to have an active role in making their trips more meaningful. Out of 10k travelers, 87% reported they appreciate if their host enables them to learn more about the culture and history of the destination,“acting as a portal to the people and the stories of the local community.”
According to Way’s 2025 Experiential Hospitality Trend Report, 93% of hotel guests say experiences make them more likely to book again. Way customer Julia Chaland, resort manager of Alila Ventana Big Sur reports on the success of their experiential program, sharing “If we didn’t have experiences or our programming built up to where it is, I can say with confidence that our ADR and occupancy wouldn’t be where it is today.”
So… what actually constitutes as an experience? It could be a recurring daily or weekly activity/workshop hosted on or off site, a seasonal pop-up, or even a one-off or yearly event. Which experiential boat does your property reside in?
We have no experiences (but we may offer hikes, picnics, or bike/aquatic rentals)
We offer experiences but they are all hosted off-site with activity host providers
We offer a handful of experiences and a few of them are hosted on-site
We have a large library of on-site experiences with a full calendar of programming
If you’re ready to begin offering (more) experiences at your property, first you will want to ensure you’re crystal clear on your narrative, because your experiences should be a sensorial, interactive expression of your story. From there, you’ll need to search high & low for the perfect partners that share your values and are committed to their craft. Get the collaboration conversation going and co-create something together that guests can’t experience anywhere else. This is essential to ensure high demand and bookability!
If your property isn’t set up in a way to accommodate activities or events, or perhaps you run a very hands-off operation, all is not lost. One other way to embrace the experiential movement is to lead guests through an immersive journey around your property. This means instead of guests ping-ponging from the pool to their room, sauna, and then back again, you’re setting up interactive touchpoints and spaces that engage them in meaningful ways.
We’re going to see hotels really push the envelope this year when it comes to the experiences they offer. Last summer the New York Times reported on guests’ hunger for the unusual and never-before-seen experiences. This means yoga and cheese tastings aren’t going to cut it – unless you’ve found a way to put your own valuable spin on it!
What are some 2025 predictions from leaders in the hospitality realm? Here’s what a few of the members of the Coorie Community (a space for hospitality experts to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of memorable experiences) had to say!
"In 2025, experiences will evolve beyond being a nice-to-have add-on and become the very soul of a property. For hospitality brands, this year will redefine what it means to craft truly unforgettable moments, while offering deeper purpose and fulfillment to those shaping the industry. With strong foundations already in place, the natural next step is to push boundaries and completely reimagine what’s possible!"
- Samantha Dalton, Experience Manager at Way
"The success or failure of any type of experiential hospitality is rooted in whether operators have a solid grasp on their brand identity + values. It should be less about novelty or simply offering an increased number of onsite options, and more about creating meaningful touchpoints that are an organic extension of the rest of your brand. In that vein, I’ve definitely seen a growing demand for smaller concepts in the last year, especially those that are authentically rooted in a sense of place."
- Carly DeFilippo, Co-Founder at Cognoscenti Creative
"Luxury travelers aren’t just seeking an escape—they crave a seamless fusion of place, culture, and personal connection. The most successful hotels will transform into destinations themselves, crafting immersive on-property experiences that rival the best off-property excursions. Experiential hospitality is evolving from exclusive to inclusive—inviting travelers to engage with the soul of a destination in intimate yet unexpected ways."
- Ashley Nelson, Founder of Tenth on Hudson
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