Adventure Hospitality: Where Memories Meet Higher Margins S1E2

Got podcast love, a plot twist, or a lost-and-found tale? Send fan mail here. Bonus points for wit.

The hospitality industry is shifting from selling services to selling memorable experiences as guests seek stories to share rather than just rooms to stay in. Adventure Hospitality exemplifies this trend with guests willing to pay premium prices for unique, Instagram-worthy experiences that create lasting memories and higher profit margins.

• The modern guest doesn't want just a hotel room but a weekend getaway
• Even mid-scale properties can capitalize on the experience economy
• Staff storytelling, thoughtful design, and local partnerships create meaningful connections
• Understanding guest psychology is as important as understanding business models
• Experiences drive loyalty, and loyalty drives revenue
• Your product in 2025 is the story guests tell after they leave

Next time we'll explore what's driving the Adventure Hospitality boom and where the opportunities are.

Support the show

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back to Housekeeping Didn't Come Today.
I want to start with a phrasethat's getting a lot of
attention the experience economy.
Now, if you're in hospitality,this isn't news.
We've always been talking aboutthe business of experiences,
but today's guests want actually, they expect something more
than just good service.
They want a story to tell.

(00:23):
Think about it.
They don't want a hotel room,they want a weekend getaway.
They don't want a restaurantmeal, they want a memory, and
they don't want to just hike,they want to summit mountains.
And this is where AdventureHospitality is absolutely
exploding.
Guests are willing to pay morefor unique experiences,

(00:47):
authentic local culture,personalization,
behind-the-scenes access andstory-worthy moments.
And here's the kicker when youdeliver those experiences,
you're not just creating happycustomers, you're creating
higher margins.
Think of luxury safaris,national park lodges, expedition

(01:09):
cruises or boutique hotels thatfeel like hidden gems.
These operators aren't justselling beds and meals.
They're selling curated,memorable, instagram-worthy
experiences.
But it's not just for luxury.
Even mid-scale hotels,campgrounds and adventure
outfitters can capitalize onthis trend.

(01:31):
It's about staff storytelling,thoughtful design of their
physical plant, localpartnerships, activities that
connect guests to place.
This is what we're teaching atthe University of Arkansas
Hospitality Management Program.
You've got to understand thebusiness model, but you also
have to understand guestpsychology.

(01:52):
At the end of the day,experiences drive loyalty,
loyalty drives revenue.
I'll leave you with one simplequestion what story are your
guests telling after they leave?
Because in 2025, that is yourproduct.
Thanks for joining me.
Next time we'll dive intoAdventure Hospitality itself

(02:16):
what's driving the boom andwhere the opportunities are.