Skift Take

As hotels have increasingly realized travelers are seeking destination-specific experiences, major brands in the industry will continue to play up the local angle to their offerings, which could be an enormous boon for their bottom lines.

Rashaad Jorden

Skift Research reported in 2013 that the role of hotels had evolved along with a booming interest in experiential travel. A growing number of hotels were promoting themselves as a travel experience instead of simply a place to sleep.

The "Rise of Local in Hospitality" report examined how hotels were partnering with popular businesses to establish a deeper relationship with communities. In addition, hotels were organizing more special events on and off their properties.

Here are some of the ways hotels are using local themes today to appeal to travelers.

Emphasizing Culture Through Art

Featuring local artists is one key way. "(Hotel art) can be an essential way to celebrate what is going on locally, especially for travelers, who get an entry point into what’s happening locally,” said Mia Nielsen, the art curator at The Drake in Toronto, in an August 2018 Skift article. “There are real opportunities to build audiences at a local level through art.”

The Hotel Dryce, in Fort Worth, Texas, is using art to give a platform to overlooked communities. It displays artwork featuring Black and Hispanic ranch hands, two groups that represent more than a quarter of U.S. cowboys.

“I’m looking for opportunities to build voices for those who haven’t always had them,” Hotel Dryce co-owner Jonathan Morris said in a June 2022 Skift article.

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