Deepening Hospitality (Part 1) | TRAVEL

TRAVEL | Transformation to Preserve Legacy

To Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park (Part 1)

Hotel construction is accelerating worldwide. The number of travelers continues to increase year by year. According to international tourism statistics released by the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), the number of international tourist arrivals (counted at destination) in 2017 increased by 7% year-on-year to 1.323 billion. Furthermore, long-term forecasts predict that the number of international travelers will reach 1.4 billion by 2020 and 1.8 billion annually by 2030. As people from diverse cultural backgrounds travel the globe, their needs are bound to become even more varied. Nevertheless, many who travel for pleasure seek experiences unique to their destination. What may be ordinary to local residents can be a great discovery and a significant inspiration for visitors from other regions. To feel the local atmosphere, interact with people, and savor the flavors – this is truly the origin and essence of travel.

Text by MAKIGUCHI June

What Hotels Can Do for the Community

Recently, accommodations that emphasize the origins of travel are increasing in Japan. They focus on fostering connections with the local community and strive to allow travelers not just to sightsee, but to truly "experience" the area. For example,the dispersed hotels previously introducedcould be considered one such example. By incorporating various elements that allow travelers to explore the town as if they were living there, their experiences become cherished memories.

This trend was previously more common among small-scale accommodations, but now, global brands are also making moves. Sheraton, a long-established brand, boasts over 450 hotels in 70 countries and regions worldwide. Founded in 1937, when international hotel chains were few, it has since played a central role in connecting people from around the world in various cities. This widely beloved hotel brand has consistently offered the same high standards of security and comfort, regardless of which facility guests stayed at. However, in 2018, they launched a renewal plan for a new era.

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

Last November, the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, Australia, with its 24-year history, was reborn as the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park. This marked the fourth city in the global campaign tour "Heart for the City," which began in August of the same year in Quebec, Canada.

"Heart for the City" is a campaign that promotes the role of Sheraton within its communities and its significance in the region, also embodying the concept of the renovated hotel. The campaign is being rolled out in seven cities worldwide, including Quebec, Canada; Seattle, USA; Cairo, Egypt; Sydney, Australia; and Santos, Brazil, with Bangalore, India, and Beijing, China, to follow in 2019.

Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino, which reopened after renovation in November 2018

This campaign signifies a commitment to engaging with local communities in a more exciting and intimate way. In the past, hotels served not only as places to welcome travelers but also as gathering spots for local residents. They were places where families convened for meals, couples and friends chatted over coffee, and colleagues relaxed with a drink at the bar after a long day. Such places fostered memories and held special significance. Making hotels community-centric means that for local people, the hotel once again becomes a special place. This is akin to preserving Sheraton's legacy.

The bar at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

For instance, Sydney is famous for its seafood, but the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park features "Feast," a popular restaurant renowned for its seafood. It is so popular that reservations are essential daily, attracting both travelers unable to visit the fish market due to busy schedules and local residents who wish to enjoy fresh seafood with fine wine in an elegant setting in the city center.

Additionally, the Sheraton Grand Seattle offers coffee from Starbucks, a global brand originating in Seattle. The hotel houses a Starbucks Coffee store, where the rich aroma of coffee soothes travelers arriving after a long journey and also serves as a relaxing spot for locals.

The shift towards a brand that emphasizes community integration can be seen as a reform, but in a sense, it might also be a return to origins.

Sheraton also has a tradition of developing as a global brand. There was a time when standardized service was appreciated, and that was considered the strength of a global brand. However, in an era where many people actively travel, not just to visit famous sites and landmarks, but to seek unique experiences using information gathered online, incorporating local perspectives is essential.

Sheraton, at this turning point, aims to become a place where new connections between people are forged by striving to be a space where locals and travelers intersect more closely than ever before. Here, emotions and exclusive information, unknown through books or the internet, will likely be exchanged. Offering such a space to local residents and international visitors alike may well be a new form of hospitality.

The brand transformation of Sheraton, a global hotel brand, will likely be a bellwether for the future of hotel chains. In an era where individuality is valued while sharing a common spirit, it can be said that flexibly evolving in response to the needs of the times while preserving tradition leads to a deepening of hospitality that offers richer experiences to people.

The second part will explore the charms of Sydney as seen from the newly renovated Sheraton.

Sheraton Official Website
https://sheraton.marriott.com/ja-JP/