Hotel guests want investments in experience, but ROI can be hard to track

Staffing, focus on satisfaction lead to complicated math

During the "Experiential Development" session at the ALIS Summer Update in Greater Phoenix, Tiffany Donato, chief investment officer for Marcus Hotels & Resorts, emphasized that local and unique experiences are critical to driving bookings. However, measuring their ROI is difficult.

Key takeaways

• Donato emphasized that while cleanliness and good food are important, they're not the main factors guests discuss when booking. Instead, guests talk about unique experiences like making s'mores or other local activities;
• She noted the challenge of justifying ROI for these experiences. While it's easy to measure ROI per square foot for tangible investments, the value of unique experiences often shows up in revenue per available room, even if it's not directly charged;
• Eric Jacobs, chief global growth officer for Aimbridge Hospitality, added that as these experiences expand, the overall cost structure of operating a property changes.

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