In this hyper-connected world, travelers of all ages and socio-economic demographics are seeking a deeper connection with the destinations they visit. One of the major reasons for this demand is that guests are arriving to hotels with a wealth of information previously sourced through online research.
Innovative hotel brands are answering that demand by introducing guests to a diverse network of people and places in their local community, promoting themselves as a “travel experience,” versus merely a place to sleep, to a growing range of travelers defining who they are by where they stay.
While hotels have always been gateways to a destination, the boutique/design/lifestyle hotel surge in the late 20th century elevated the urban hotel into a destination in and of itself. The idea of a neighborhood hotel acting as a community portal with a strong local following became a market differentiator for an exciting batch of new hotel brands.
Read full story at: http://skift.com/2013/10/24/the-pursuit-of-localism-in-the-global-hotel-business/