Hoteliers, find out who your real guests are! Part 4

Generations X, Y, Z, Alpha… Who do you really need to appeal to in your hotel?

This is the final article in the series “Hoteliers, find out who your real guests are!”

We have explored every generation, analysed their approaches to travel, and are on the way to understanding segmentation in its deepest sense.

It therefore seems only natural to round off this series with the youngest generation – the one that doesn’t pay, but which influences your customers’ choices…

Do Alphas really influence the family’s holiday choices?

What we call Generation Alphas are young people born between 2010 and the present day. They are therefore aged between 0 and 16, were born with an iPad in their hands, and ask Siri or Gemini their questions.

This age group has been studied in relation to tourism.

And here we are!

The figure was announced, like the resounding strike of a gong: 

80% of parents (or grandparents!) organise holidays with the children they take with them. [1]

Why is simply talking about the holidays so important? Because no parent is going to organise a holiday to a place their child doesn’t like. When it wasn’t customary to ask them for their opinion, children’s expectations were virtually non-existent. But once the conversation has started, the child can allow themselves to dream.

Which kind of dream? What he sees on TikTok, YouTube, and so on.

And so, without realising it, your customers in their forties – who don’t even know that Snapchat is a social media platform – will be influenced by a ‘trend’ (a type of video that pops up regularly over a period of time) without necessarily knowing what it is. And all this, with their children acting as intermediaries. 

To be prepared for this new clientele—who may seem shy at reception but will nevertheless shape the entire stay—we need to consider their expectations.

Understanding Generation Alpha and the content they watch

Here’s the key: if you want to know what a child is going to ask their parents, you need to understand what sort of images the algorithm is showing them.

These days, careers in social media, for example, attract more young women than the teaching profession. If this shocks some people, we apologise. Don’t shoot the messenger!

How can we make the most of this new status quo? By enabling them to experience in real life (IRL – an internet neologism) what they see in their news feed (content determined by the algorithm).

Have you ever found yourself caught up in the content posted on Facebook, for example?

You see a scene, perfectly staged in every detail: a beautiful brunette showering by a sun-drenched swimming pool, children laughing heartily on a water slide, a couple toasting each other on the terrace.

You know it’s all designed to dazzle you, but you watch it anyway, right to the end. Because it makes you dream. 

And, let’s face it… Who doesn’t like to dream?

It’s the same for Alphas! They know that what they see is merely a staged performance. Yet they cannot tear themselves away from it, and their choice will inevitably fall on the most evocative images.

So, in April, when their parents tell them they’re planning holiday, the younger generation rushes to explore online content to find the best possible experience .

And that’s where you can really stand out from the competition!

Opening a TikTok account: the death knell for the hotel industry?

Come on! Let’s not make a big deal out of it!

It is true that a hotel manager who opened his property 20 years ago did not set out to promote himself on social media. 

But that’s why you have a young and tech-savvy hotel team!

You really don’t need to do it yourself; pick the most trendy person on your team whom you trust and set them the task: to make your hotel an attractive place for young people.

It won’t cost you a thing, apart from a bit of ingenuity, and it shows your team just how much they mean to you. We talk about ‘empowering’ staff, and well, here we are!

Every day, your staff member should film a short video showing an attractive, lively and colourful part of your hotel.

• An ice cream sundae with three flavours, whipped cream and sprinkles on top, on a table in your restaurant with a lovely view.
  
• The receptionist handing the room keys to a child, seen from behind.
  
• A person coming out of the bathroom, wrapped up in a bathrobe that looks incredibly soft.
  
• The swimming pool slide.
  
• etc. 

You get the idea: you need to be 1. visible and 2. showcase yourself.

And who knows? Perhaps, just as happened to a hotelier recently, you’ll realise that you have already a TikToker in your team with over 40,000 followers!

It’s actually quite simple when you think about it: whatever you were doing with your website 15 years ago, you now need to do the same on the news feeds of your potential customers’ children.

Should we abandon the marketing we know?

Not a chance!

Because whilst we now need to take children’s views into account in our marketing activities, we mustn’t overlook the parents.

This is an added bonus that shouldn’t distract you from customer service; on the contrary, it shows just how committed you are to catering to the needs of your entire customer base.

And if you’re lucky enough to have signed up for a CRM (if you haven’t taken the plunge yet, we’ve got one to recommend!), you can include a section in your family newsletters aimed at children, featuring lovely, colourful photos that grab their attention.

You could also make their arrival extra special, perhaps with a treasure hunt to find the keys (don’t forget to film their search for TikTok!).

Just imagine sending your pre-stay form to your guest with the “Treasure Hunt” option included! 

Don’t you think you’ve just secured this family’s loyalty for life? The children will be absolutely thrilled!

So, ladies and gentlemen of the hospitality industry, don’t panic – Generation Alpha can actually be a great asset, if you know how to talk to them. 😉

See you soon!