‘New look’ holidays in a post-Covid world

Buffets, room service and communal gyms are likely to be absent from many hotels when travel resumes – so what can travellers expect?

Fewer hotels are expected to offer buffets in a post-Covid world because of health concerns.

Heading off on holidays is shaping up to be a very different ­experience for travellers, with a raft of changes adopted by hotels and resort operators in response to the Covid crisis and staff shortages.

Niceties such as breakfast buffets, cocktails by the pool and around-the-clock room service have been ditched by some accommodation providers, and rooms cleared of any surplus items such as cushions and throw rugs, notepads, magazines and menus.

Digital room keys are likely to have replaced entry cards, vending machine meals are on offer in the place of room service and carpet removed in favour of easy-to-clean hardwood floors.

Communal gyms have been permanently shuttered by some hotels, with guests able to ask for weights or yoga mats to be delivered to their room where fitness classes can be dialled up on the smart TV.

Check-in desks may also be relegated to history as hotels recognise guests want to minimise social interaction and go straight to their room.

Accommodation Association of Australia chief executive Richard Munro said some measures were in the process of being ­adopted prior to the pandemic but Covid had accelerated their rollout.

“The decluttering and streamlining using technology has been taken up by a lot of properties and it makes a lot of sense,” Mr Munro said.

“Cleaning processes have also been taken to the highest of standards, with rooms being defogged and sterilised, to give people peace of mind they’re in a safe place.”

It was not only the demand for hygiene and social distancing that was driving the changes but the chronic staff shortage affecting the hospitality industry, he said.

That was likely to be exacerbated in 2022 as countries reopened and the demand for travel was realised.

“We’ve lost a lot of people from the industry and it’s very labour intensive to run hotels, motels and resorts,” Mr Munro said.

“The industry is going to be very much focused on efficiency of service because we don’t have a big labour force to come in and service customers so I think expectations are going to have to be managed. That coffee might take a bit longer.”

Anyone expecting 24/7 room service was likely to be disappointed, and some properties had even closed all onsite food and beverage offerings due to a lack of staff.

“One of the properties I was talking to had been looking at building a teppanyaki restaurant until they realised they couldn’t even get someone to cook eggs in the morning,” Mr Munro said.

“A little bit of patience is required (of guests) until we can build up the workforce again.”

Travel was also likely to be different with longer check-in times at airports, the requirement for masks in terminals and on flights, and less choice of airlines travelling out of Australia.

CEO of tour company AAT Kings, Matt Fuller said he expected consumers would pay a lot more attention to cancellation policies and be less inclined to travel independently.

“There will be a lot of disruption for travellers, particularly for people who go it alone and don’t use people with experience to help guide them with that,” Mr Fuller said.

“Actually going on a co-ordinated, curated, guided experience helps people with many of those issues. We have to go out there and make sure our partner providers, whether they be experiences, accommodation, cruises, whatever, they are good to go and waiting for us when we arrive and we do all that co-ordination.”