Glion Institute of Higher Education London hosted the latest event in its Career Panel Series on 6th May, focusing on the evolving landscape of Luxury Hospitality. The session explored emerging trends, industry insights, and the shifting expectations shaping the future of the sector.
The panel was moderated by Mark Britton Jones, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Faculty at Glion London, and featured distinguished leaders and role models from across the luxury hospitality ecosystem:
- Jenny Southan – Editor / Founder / CEO – GLOBETRENDER
- Genevieve Materne – Senior Vice President, Revenue and Distribution – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
- Natalia Santolaya – Senior Director, Development – Auberge Collection
- Alexandra von Stauffenberg – Restaurant Floor Manager, Mauro Colagreco – Raffles London at The OWO
With this mix, trends were considered at the top level, right through to those that interface with the guest on a daily basis.
The key topics covered were:
Climate Change
It was established that climate instability is increasingly disrupting traditional travel patterns and demand. The panel considered how luxury hospitality needs to rethink asset strategy, destination positioning, and guest experience design to ensure the sector remains both climate‑resilient and relevant over the next decade.
It was understood that something as basic as seasonal food is being challenged, especially in luxury hospitality where there is a focus on locally sourced, sustainable, and responsible produce. Guests may not see items or ingredients they have come to expect. This requires dialogue, communication and explanation to help guests understand what a commitment to the environment means in real terms, and how this is reflected in brand behaviour.
We also learnt that the traditional ‘shoulder season’ in Europe might now be the best time to travel, to avoid overcrowding and overheating, and to secure the best travel insurance that covers the lack or absence of snow when taking a ski holiday.
Youthquake: The Rise of Gen Z
‘Youthquake’ is an interesting term, helping us understand that we are not simply witnessing a cultural or societal shift with the rise of Gen Z, but that the changes are so significant the shift is truly seismic.
Jenny Southan shared that the digitally native younger generations are redefining what “luxury” signals about identity, values and aspiration. This poses a serious question about industry readiness, and whether the industry remains relevant or risks becoming a dinosaur.
The luxury hoteliers agreed that while the current focus is on older generations, who are the Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals, hospitality is evolving and looking at areas such as experience design and digital ecosystems to stay culturally relevant and desirable across all age groups.
Augmented Mobility
It seems no discussion takes place these days without some reflection on AI, and this panel was no exception. The industry professionals considered guest experience and what traditional luxury hospitality means at a time when AI‑driven hyper‑personalised travel is emerging, and how the sector can adapt.
There was reassurance that luxury hospitality still means human‑to‑human interaction, with AI providing greater customer insights and addressing repetitive tasks so frontline employees can focus more attention on the guest and cultivate the guest relationship. On the other hand, we learnt about robot massage and spa services in China, and how these can create a luxurious experience that is specific, trusted and as indulgent as any traditional luxury spa.
Students were particularly interested in whether continued automation would change distribution in luxury hospitality. The views indicated that distribution must become more exclusive, more market‑specific and cannot continue with the historic mass‑market hotel distribution model.
Transformative Economy
With so much of the conversation focusing on experiences, the teaching from Gilmore and Pine (1999) on The Experience Economy could not be ignored. This helped us understand that luxury travellers are increasingly seeking personal growth, higher meaning, or experiences that go beyond simple indulgence. We learnt that the ‘Transformation Economy’ is now firmly on the radar, and with it comes luxury consumers who will align themselves with brands that reflect their values and support their pursuit of self‑actualisation.
Career Question
The objective of Glion London’s Career Panel Series is to help students understand what their future may look like amid rapid shifts in climate resilience, AI‑driven mobility, and evolving definitions of luxury. This discussion extended beyond the panel itself, and the conversation continues as students deepen their understanding and expand their networks within the luxury hospitality sector.
