“Our current moment is special because it’s not just about what’s new and exciting,” Herrera said. “It’s about how we can fundamentally change and improve our business.”

Herrera spoke to the conference about the importance of human connection and what he sees as the major travel trends for 2023.

Consumers are becoming more comfortable with long-term planning, which is a great opportunity to capitalize on more thoughtful, detailed vacations, such as weddings, celebrations, family reunions and bucket list trips.

The interest in bleisure travel is growing. Employees want to maximise their experiences when they travel on business, which is particularly good news for destinations like the United Kingdom, a hub of global industry.

Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration for consumers when planning trips. Suppliers like hotels that can highlight their sustainability measures will gain a key advantage in appealing to travellers who desire to feel good about doing good.

Internova is one of the world’s largest travel services companies, with more than 100,000 advisors represented in its network, and travel advisors are also experiencing tremendous growth, Herrera said.

In a 2021 survey, 79 percent of respondents said they preferred working with a human being over an online travel agency. Millennials make up nearly 40 percent of Internova’s client base.  “People prefer to work with people for access, information, recommendations and personal attention,” he said.

Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Argentina and Mexico are Internova’s top international destinations for 2023.

“The appetite for international travel is huge and life beyond the bubble looks very bright for the United Kingdom, Herrera said. “It was our top outbound destination for American travellers in 2022 and bookings remain extremely strong entering 2023.” Advance hotel bookings in the United Kingdom show a 70 percent increase in January 2023 compared with the previous year.

Whether it’s word of mouth, social media or even print or email marketing, storytelling is a crucial component of success in the travel industry. Hoteliers need to stress what makes them unique, those things that guests can only experience at their property.

“Every place has stories,” Herrera said. “The goal is to uncover those stories or create your own, then develop a team of storytellers on your staff so they can share what makes you unique in the world.”

The Master Innholders’ hotel leadership conference, themed Beyond the Bubble, took place on 23-24 January 2023 at JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel London.

About Internova Travel Group

Internova Travel Group is one of the largest travel services companies in the world with a collection of leading brands delivering high-touch, personal travel expertise to leisure and corporate clients. Internova manages leisure, business and franchise firms through a portfolio of distinctive divisions. Internova represents more than 100,000 travel advisors in over 6,000 company-owned and affiliated locations predominantly in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a presence in more than 80 countries. Its travel business in the UK include retail travel group Barrhead Travel, as well as ALTOUR, Global Travel Collection and Your Event Solutions.

About The Master Innholders

The Master Innholders was founded in 1978 and is supported by the Worshipful Company of Innholders and the Institute of Hospitality. It is a leading force within the hotel industry which aims to influence standards and extend professionalism as well as to promote consideration, study, discussion and research in the areas affecting hotel management. There are currently over 150 Master Innholders, all of whom are, or have been, prominent hoteliers, dedicated and committed to promoting best practice in the industry.