PHOTO: Multigenerational travel is one of the biggest trends in the resort industry.

In order to be successful in the arena of selling resort vacations, you have to stay on top of the trends. And Vacation Agent is here to make sure you have access to the best information. We recently asked three executives from Iberostar, Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, and Karisma Hotels & Resorts about the latest hotel trends and how agents can best use them to appeal to the younger generation.

Pay attention to the words of these experts and, before long, the cool kids (and the cool clients) will be looking to you for the latest scoop.

Top Hotel/Resort Trends

The world changes constantly and, while there are some time-honored selling strategies and ways of doing business that still remain relevant and effective, you will undoubtedly need to adapt to the world around you throughout the course of your career.

PHOTO: Clients are looking for unique experiences when staying at a resort.

The younger generations, just like the generations before them, want to do things their way.

According to John Long, vice president of sales and marketing for Iberostar, clients are looking for more variety in their travel plans these days.

“One trend that I have noticed is that there are many more options in the market that are tailored to different travelers and experiences,” Long said.

Long added, “We’re also finding that travelers want a variety of choices when it comes to available activities at the property and they want options that cater to everyone traveling.”

Speaking of “everyone traveling,” you’ve probably heard by now that multigenerational travel is big these days. That was confirmed by Rafael Feliz Jr., the corporate brand manager for Karisma Hotels & Resorts.

“Multigenerational travel is a huge trend, with more and more families bringing grandparents, teens and toddlers along for the vacation,” Feliz said.

Along with all of this comes the desire for guests and clients to have a hand in their travel plans…while still asking agents to lend a hand.

“Trip customization prior to arrival is also gaining momentum,” Feliz said. “Vacationers want to plan every aspect of their trip, and having someone to help them plan, schedule, and reserve their activities even before they check-in at the destination is becoming more essential.”

There’s also that thing called food, which, you know, not only keeps you alive, but also can be the very reason a client travels.

“The foodie trend is also one of the strongest,” Feliz said. “Travelers are heading to destinations to experience different cuisines and expect to savor local food wherever they travel.”

Ash Tembe, vice president of global field sales, Hard Rock All Inclusive Collection, echoed this sentiment. So did Long.

“They’re looking for more upscale and varied dining options beyond the standard buffets and beverage menu,” Long said.

Of course, some trends never go away. As Tembe noted, it is still “crucial for resorts (and agents) to offer A-list entertainment.”

That doesn’t mean enlisting the help of Uncle Jerry, who swears he can do the best cover of “Margaritaville.”

How to Sell the Latest Hotel Trends

Now that you are up to speed on some of the latest hotel and resort trends, what’s next? Learning to turn these trends into profits.

We would like to take time to point out some effective strategies for selling resort trends courtesy of the knowledgeable folks over at Iberostar, Hard Rock and Karisma.

One common selling strategy that has been around for ages is to simply show clients the variety of options they have at their disposal. In this case, you may point out hotels with award-winning restaurants or resorts with spectacular outdoor activities.

“The key is for travel agents to show clients the variety of choices available across our resorts and help them to identify the hotel that would be the best fit for their interest,” Long said.

And there are a variety of ways to get the message across to clients.

“Travel agents can be creative when selling these trends,” Feliz said. “For example, when reaching out to foodies, they can promote at local wine stores, farmers markets and food/wine trade shows.”

Of course, social media is huge now too, and you would be selling yourself short if you chose not to post helpful tidbits on Twitter or Facebook for your clients.

Said Tembe: “Social media is an effective tool to utilize in selling these trends. The social media consumer is typically in front of the curve and searching for trendy and hip things to do. Those who are active on social media channels tend to reap the benefits of working with our brand (Hard Rock All Inclusive Collection).”

Added Feliz: “Social media is always a great medium to educate potential customers about how they can customize their vacations prior to arrival. Agents can post an example of a pre-arrival form on Facebook, or even plan out a week-long vacation with daily itineraries to give guests a sense of all that Karisma Hotels & Resorts offer.”

Tembe also advised that agents should reach out to their BDMs (business development managers) and take advantage of the plethora of sales and marketing tools that are offered.

Accommodating the Trends

Iberostar. Iberostar has established a tiered system of hotel categories that accommodate the interests of travelers and their budgets. The company’s “Premium” category highlights resorts that cater to families and budget-conscious travelers. The company’s “Grand Collection” category points out adults-only resorts for couples and leisure/luxury travelers.

On Iberostar.com, you can actually search the company’s properties by “interest,” whether you want to go golfing (Iberostar Cancun or Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso), relax in a spa (Iberostar Playa Mita), dine (gastronomy is one of Iberostar company-wide specialties) or treat your kids (KidsClub or the KidsCorner mini-food menu).

Hard Rock All Inclusive Collection. Through its Hard Rock All Inclusive Collection brand, Hard Rock is focusing on providing top-of-the-line, A-list entertainment for its guests, from Las Vegas-inspired casinos to electric nightclubs to energetic performances from the company’s eye-catching stable of artists and musicians.

“We, as an all-inclusive brand, felt there was a void in the market place for an energetic resort, with a vibrant nightlife and unique atmosphere,” Tembe said. “We have definitely filled that void with our unmatched entertainment.”

Tembe added: “There are many people today that are looking for both luxury and fun – they want to have it all. Our demographics now more than ever show that an energetic and music-filled vacation is more appealing.”

Karisma Hotels & Resorts. Karisma’s new brand, Generations Resorts by Karisma, is based around bringing “another dimension to customized vacations,” as Feliz put it.

That includes properties with a butler for every room, fully customizable trips (from pre-arrival to off-site tours to in-room family dinners), culinary experiences alongside award-winning chefs and a monthly culinary series (including the Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series by Karisma and the Canadian Beef Culinary Series by Karisma.

On top of that, Karisma adds features unique to each of its hotels and resorts to create a distinct feel for each property. Heck, the chain is even striving to start trends of its own with dazzling features such as swim-up suites.

Iberostar, Hard Rock and Karisma were so forthcoming with this knowledgeable insight because they need agents, too. Each of these companies stressed how important travel agents are — to every generation.