I’m an experiential traveler, looking for different types of places to stay depending on the nature of the trip. I’m not brand-loyal. What matters to me is how the place I choose to stay in fits my needs, so service and distinctiveness matter to me more than familiarity. Community matters to me, too. I like to feel at home wherever I am. I also want to stay in a place that surprises me – pleasantly. I book trips different ways, too.
Which raises the question: Do brands matter anymore? Some, of course, stand for distinctiveness itself, like Apple – and, at least until very recently, Kimpton in hotels. Would Apple signify flair and independence if Sony bought it? Will Kimpton retain the magnetism and stylishness it’s known for now that InterContinental Hotels Group is acquiring it? More on that later.
I want to talk about how we shop, in a world where social media and price rule. When I’m in the market for a dress, I want something different, something unique. Price matters. So do reviews. Above all, I know what I don’t want: to wear a dress someone else will. I’m not totally against shopping online, though I prefer my research to be digital, trying the dress on in a store. Fit matters, after all. So does the personal touch. That doesn’t mean I buy custom-made. It does mean I pay attention to style more than brand, to what other people say and to pictures I can research on the web.
With social media influencing us 24/7, it’s time hotels come around to this view of brand, too. Today’s traveler wants something different, distinct, fresh, and local – something with personality. That’s tough for a brand.
via Independent Travelers Put a Premium on Freedom of Choice, by Pamela Barnhill.
