‘The boundaries within our sector are becoming blurred’

Walking round the Independent Hotelshow with a camper’s perspective

Column: Richard Otten is the owner of Pleisureworld.nl and a leading expert in the fields of hospitality, leisure and recreation, with a keen eye for market developments and innovation within the leisure sector. He is also the host of the podcast Leisuretalk.nl on trends in the leisure sector.

The first time I visited the Independent Hotel Show in Amsterdam, it felt a bit like opening a door you didn’t even know existed. Of course, you expect inspiration, beautiful stands and a handful of innovative concepts. But what struck me most of all was that the boundaries of our sector have long since ceased to be as clear-cut as we sometimes think. In fact, they’re blurring rapidly.

Just to be clear: I’m not a hotelier. My background is in the holiday accommodation sector. I started out working at campsites – a summer job that I actually ended up sticking with – and went on to set up and sell several businesses. 

Over the past 15 years, I’ve seen the sector change enormously. From campsites where guests would arrive with a trailer tent, a roll of toilet paper under their arm and their bikes on the roof of the car, to high-end glamping resorts with hotel services, luxury holiday homes and fully equipped safari tents. In many cases, they have effectively become open-air hotels. And that is precisely why I have long observed that these two worlds are moving ever closer together.

As I walked through the aisles of the trade fair, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The exhibitors here are slightly different from those at the Recreatie Vakbeurs in Hardenberg, and the audience is clearly different too. Whereas in Hardenberg you often see business owners coming straight from their sites, dressed practically and sometimes still with mud on their shoes, here you see more sophistication and a different vibe. At the same time, I also recognised a number of exhibitors, particularly in the automation sector. Companies that serve both sectors and for whom, ultimately, it doesn’t matter where you
Applies RevPAR.

That got me thinking

Anyone following developments in the holiday accommodation sector will see that holiday parks and glamping resorts are rapidly becoming more professional. Service levels are rising, the guest experience is becoming increasingly refined, and guest expectations are shifting accordingly. In terms of hospitality, design and the guest journey, some resorts are now hardly any less impressive than a boutique hotel. In certain areas, they are even leading the way. Consider, for example, the focus on tranquillity, nature, space and authentic concepts: aspects where the
something that the modern guest is increasingly looking for.

At the same time, we are living in an era of rising costs and challenges such as the VAT increase. Yet, whilst at the trade fair, I got the impression that independent hotels, in particular, seem less concerned about this. They are often more agile, quicker to adapt and offer a distinctive product.
I see the same trend in the holiday accommodation sector: smaller, independent operators who are making a difference with a strong concept and a clear vision.

And that is precisely why it is so interesting to see these worlds come together at events such as the Independent Hotel Show. This is where genuine cross-fertilisation takes place. Here, you can see how technology, interior design concepts and service innovations are applied across different sectors. What works in one sector effortlessly finds its way into another.

And perhaps even more importantly: guests no longer just compare hotels with other hotels. They compare everything with everything else. A boutique hotel is judged just as much against a luxury glamping experience or a high-end holiday home. Standards are high across the board and are getting higher all the time.

For hoteliers and boutique hotel owners, this presents a huge opportunity. Not by clinging desperately to traditional ‘hotel thinking’, but rather by being open to inspiration from outside the industry. What can we learn from resorts when it comes to the overall experience? What can campsites teach us about community and informal hospitality? And how do we translate those insights into a distinctive and future-proof hotel concept?

My visit to the Independent Hotel Show therefore felt like a reality check. A moment when you realise: the sector is changing. Fast. And if you want to move forward, you have to look beyond your own segment – and I’ll continue to lead the way in this regard.

Would you like to find out more about the cross-pollination between hotels, holiday parks, day attractions, the hospitality sector, campsites and the leisure industry in general? Then follow Pleisureworld and come along to one of our events.