In this context, Travel2latam spoke with Nicole Tilzer, Vice President, All Inclusive & Resort Strategy at Hilton and Collete Baruth, Vice President & Commercial Director, All Inclusive at Hilton.
Given your experience and knowledge, how do you plan to evolve the all-inclusive hotel segment?
We have already seen the segment evolve with the arrival of many new companies such as Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt, attracting new consumers who might never have thought about the category. Together, we are helping to raise the profile. We have started to focus on higher-end brands and experiences, and we have seen that the younger consumer wants to have a carefree, stress-free holiday, but they also want to experience the place, the culture and the nature. So, all-inclusives are evolving to be able to deliver that.
Does the model change based on each destination?
Absolutely, it's different if you're in Mexico, Turkey or Jamaica. Once a guest finds a brand they love, they want to explore all the different destinations. If they're a Hilton Honors member, they can go to Curacao, then the Dominican Republic or Mexico, but they want it to be a different experience, area and food. For example, the food on the east coast of Mexico is not the same as on the west coast or central Mexico, because they're diverse cultures. This is combined with Hilton as a brand, with our experience and the level of service we offer.
Also, Hilton puts a very strong focus on employee training, right?
Yes. When you are at an all-inclusive hotel you spend more time on property and interact with employees in a different way. That is why we have a dedicated effort to create engagement between employees and guests, to build a relationship between them. The employees are local people, therefore they have more knowledge and more things to teach and show.
Another area that is very interesting is MICE. For a very long period of time, meeting planners did not consider all-inclusive plans as an option. However, today they are looking at it and recognizing that if they take their group to a recognized and respected brand like Hilton, their job will be easier and their clients will be happier. So we are seeing more and more development coming from the meetings and incentives perspective.
What initiatives is Hilton taking to ensure a better experience for hotel guests?
Part of it is the importance of training, but also a lot of attention is paid to guest reviews, whether on TripAdvisor or Google, and in different countries, to understand what the consumer is looking for. We take that feedback to make changes. We also now have a new internal measurement system, so our team can receive messages from guests via text or WhatsApp. And so, we also send messages to guests when they check in, welcoming them. Then, we ask them how their stay is going.
As a result, the general manager can look at a report every day and see if there are any issues. Guests can also, for example, ask us for more towels through that contact channel. That is the way we communicate with them during their stay.
Employees are being trained to see customer behavior and then react according to their feedback, being proactive. This tool also helps when there are language barriers, because it may be more comfortable to text, using Google Translate. In short, we are giving our guests new ways to interact and feel comfortable, when sometimes that is what stops people from traveling.
What properties have you recently opened? And what are you planning to add next?
Miches is going to be our newest and largest property, and it will open in June. Also, two weeks ago we converted a seasonal property in Rhodes, Greece, which is called Lindian Village Beach Resort. All of our properties in Europe and the Middle East are seasonal at the moment. This one opens in April and closes in October/November, and it is all-inclusive.
We also opened one last year in Crete, which is adults-only all-inclusive. This is a Curio property called Domes Aulus Elounda. And then, we have a second property in the Cancun hotel zone, which will be converted and undergoing a complete renovation this year. It will be adults-only, all-inclusive, called The Sens.
What is happening in Europe with All Inclusive?
There is a very large market, particularly in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. When we have European clients coming to Mexico and Latin America, it is a long journey, and this works both ways. That is, we have people from Mexico going to Europe and people from Europe going to Mexico. It is a global client, so we are expanding on both sides, in the Americas and in Europe.
What is Hilton's strategy to stand out in such a competitive market?
It's hard to stand out, but what we think helps us stand out is the Hilton name. That's 105 years of hospitality experience. You're bringing that level of service to the all-inclusive segment, and you're bringing with you more than 200 million Honors members who are new to the segment. Our partnerships, expertise, standards, and the way we can help businesses in the community by negotiating and offering local services, helps us differentiate ourselves. And then from there, we make sure we deliver an extraordinary experience.
Another thing we are also experts in outside of all-inclusive is events, meetings and celebrations. Meeting planners may never have thought about all-inclusive, but they trust Hilton, so they choose it. And we have a global Hilton sales team that knows them, that knows everything they need.
I think another thing that is also very important is that today's guests are socially conscious, so they want to stay at a hotel that shares their values. Hilton works towards sustainability, making sure there is no plastic in its properties. Our global footprint is very important. The ability to improve the local community is also important.
When we have meetings in a destination, Hilton always plans an event that has a social impact. For example, we were in the Dominican Republic in November and worked with a local orphanage by providing school supplies and backpacks. Those are the kinds of things our guests want to support.
We can say that Hilton is an all-inclusive brand, but each property has its own identity and its own standards.
Yes, food, drink and entertainment will always be different. There are elements that we allow and want to be repeated, but the standard varies, and the design looks different. Each team also brings meaning to each property. We want our employees to feel that they can make changes, to take the property as their home and welcome guests into their home.