Hotelier Weekly Roundup: 01/08/25

Another exciting week in Australian vibrant and dynamic hotel industry!

August 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

What’s on my mind this week: is storytelling in hospitality—and why it should start with your staff.
Travellers today want more than just features—they want meaning. They’re not simply booking rooms; they’re booking stories, emotions, and connection. Yet too much hotel marketing still relies on promoting amenities rather than memories. In a world where attention spans are shrinking and competition is fierce, hotels that lead with narrative—real stories about people, place, and purpose—are the ones that resonate. But here’s the key: your most powerful storytellers aren’t necessarily in your marketing team. They’re on the floor, every day, with your guests.

Think about it—housekeepers who’ve welcomed the same family year after year. Front office staff who recognise a regular business traveller by name. Chefs who create off-menu meals for guests with special requests. These are the moments that define hospitality. But to bring them to life publicly, we need to train our teams in the art of storytelling. Start with simple huddles or team briefings where staff share guest moments that moved them. Show them how to frame interactions as micro-stories: Why was the guest visiting? What made their stay unique? What small gestures stood out? What’s the story behind today’s special offer? What’s the story of our brand or this building? What are the nearby commercial partners and what are the memories other guests shared with us? Then create space for these stories to flow across channels—social media, email, even in-room messaging.

Storytelling doesn’t only belong in advertising or on Instagram—it belongs at every touchpoint. In the guest welcome, in the concierge’s handwritten local guide, in the farewell at checkout. When your team feels confident sharing authentic stories about your service, your sustainability efforts, and your local community, your hotel becomes more than a place to stay. It becomes part of your guests’ story. And in this experience-led era, the hotels that train their people to speak from the heart will always stand out.

🏨 Top 6 Hotel Industry News You Need To Know

  • Wyndham Partners with Ovolo Group to Onboard Five Boutique Hotels Across Australia & Hong Kong (Hotel Investment Today) 

  • Queensland Tourism Officials Propose European‑Style Beach Clubs Across Gold Coast (ABC NEWS)

  • Swiss launches new A350 first, business class (Executive Traveller)

  • Vic racing GP legislation (Travel Daily)

  • Goldman Travel Group has acquired Gold Coast-based luxury agency Main Beach Travel (MBT) (Travel Bulletin)

  • Flight Centre to launch new leisure loyalty program in 2025 as it reveals record transactions (Karry On)

🏆 Story of the Week

Hospitality Daily

🎧 Recommended Episode:
"How citizenM Reinvented Hotel Loyalty (And Signed Up 50,000+ Subscribers) - Lennert de Jong"
In this episode, citizenM CEO Lennert de Jong shares how the brand reimagined hotel loyalty with a subscription model inspired by Netflix and Amazon Prime. Developed during COVID to boost occupancy, the program has grown to over 50,000 members by focusing on customer relationships over points. He offers practical insights on how identifying guest pain points led to a more engaging and valuable loyalty strategy.

🔗 Listen on: Spotify | Apple

🗓️ Upcoming Industry Events

Did You Know? The first-ever hotel loyalty program was introduced by Holiday Inn in 1983, with their Priority Club Rewards. This pioneering programme set the foundation for what is now a multi-billion-dollar industry in hotel loyalty schemes. These programs were designed to encourage repeat business by offering rewards such as free nights, upgrades, and discounts to loyal customers. Over time, many hotel chains have followed suit, and now most major chains, like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, offer sophisticated loyalty programs. These programs not only benefit customers but also help hotels build valuable data on guest preferences, allowing them to personalise experiences and strengthen customer relationships.

Till next time,

Hotelier Roundup

Disclaimer: This content is carefully curated from publicly available sources and is provided for informational purposes only, while we try our best to verify all information presented, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy or completeness.

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