The last few years have been anything but “business as usual” for the hospitality industry. After suffering its worst year on record in 2020, global tourism grew by a staggering 60 percent in 2022 and is projected to increase another 30 percent in 2023, according to a report from Economist Intelligence.
But perhaps more important than the rate at which guests are now traveling, COVID-19 has changed both how and why they travel.
Hotels Rush to Accommodate Remote Workers
As the pandemic unleashed millions of workers from their physical offices, many realized they could perform their jobs from anywhere in the world as long as they had a strong, reliable internet connection.
Quick to meet their needs, hotels everywhere began promoting their high-speed WiFi, in-room ethernet, business centers, and, perhaps surprisingly, their sustainability initiatives.
The Rise of Sustainable Travel
Though COVID-19 and sustainability may have seemed unrelated at the beginning of the pandemic, it didn’t take long for the two issues to become intertwined as the world saw how quickly air quality improved when it came to a collective standstill.
As travel once again resumed, this class of newly remote, environmentally-aware workers began to seek hotels and airlines that catered to their business needs while also prioritizing sustainability—a trend aptly coined “sustainable travel.”
Sustainable Travelers Seek Eco-Friendly Hotels
While sustainable travel is by no means new, the pandemic renewed it with vigor, as evidenced by the 15 percent increase in U.S. travelers claiming they wanted to travel more sustainably in 2022 versus 2021.
The numbers speak for themselves: A 2022 Expedia study reported that 90 percent of global travelers prioritize sustainable options when traveling. Furthermore, Booking.com’s 2022 Sustainable Travel Report found that 45 percent of U.S. travelers actively look for information on a property’s green initiatives before booking.
Driven to make travel more sustainable and attract eco-conscious guests, hoteliers have responded by introducing environmentally-friendly initiatives. According to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, these typically focus on three categories: conserving energy and water; reducing waste; and serving local, seasonal food. Examples often include installing new water-saving bathroom fixtures, reducing single-use plastics, and adding more plant-based items to menus.
Go Green With a Natural Mattress
One way that savvy hoteliers are both improving their guest experience and working towards their sustainability goals is by outfitting their hotels with eco-friendly products. Of these, natural mattresses are increasingly top-of-mind, particularly among purchasers of boutique hotels and resorts located in ecologically sensitive areas.
Given that the natural mattress market is expected to increase from $5.86 billion in 2021 to $13.87 billion by 2032, this “trend” doesn’t appear to be slowing anytime soon.
The New Naturals™ Mattress from Sealy®
Made with organic cotton, 100 percent natural latex, hemp fibers, recycled steel coils, and an ethically-sourced wool blend, the new Sealy® Naturals™ hybrid mattress combines environmental stewardship with the deep, restful sleep guests expect from Sealy®.
The Sealy® Naturals™ mattress is also hand-tufted to not only create a more durable mattress but to reduce glue usage by 65 percent. And with a GreenGuard Gold Certification, hoteliers can rest assured that it meets the world’s most stringent mattress emissions standards that work to improve indoor and global air quality.
Good for Bookings
With all signs pointing to continued natural mattress market growth, replacing synthetic mattresses with natural ones is a clear way for hoteliers to elevate their hotel’s profile, reduce their eco-footprint, and increase bookings—all without sacrificing a good night’s sleep for their guests.
Sponsored by Tempur Sealy International.
