From AI concierges to solar-powered caravans, 2025 is full of signs that guest expectations are changing quickly. But it’s not all about flashy tech or industry headlines. What we’re really seeing is a shift towards smarter, more natural experiences that feel personal, helpful and genuinely improve the stay.
Here are four signals from across the sector, and what they mean for holiday parks, independent venues and guest-first brands.
Airbnb puts Experiences back in focus
As part of its 2025 Summer Release, Airbnb has relaunched its Experiences offering across 650+ cities. Their new “Airbnb Originals” are led by chefs, creatives and public figures, and the platform now integrates lifestyle services like private chefs, yoga sessions and guided walks.
It’s a slick relaunch, but the idea isn’t new. For those of us working in parks, attractions and destination stays, we’ve long known that the experience is often just as important as the bed.
What this highlights is the growing importance of curated, value-led travel. But while platforms like Airbnb keep guests inside their ecosystem, Holidaymaker helps operators stay front and centre. The guest journey remains branded, direct and yours to own – even when affiliate content or partner bookings are involved.
Whether it’s surfacing bookable local experiences through the app or promoting them on digital signage, Holidaymaker supports your team in delivering personalised, experience-rich stays – with tech that complements, not competes.
AI concierge tools are becoming standard in hotels
AI concierge tools are now widely used in hotels to manage guest messaging, upsells, bookings and support. When used well, they raise guest satisfaction and take pressure off frontline teams.
They don’t replace your staff. They free them up to do what people do best – welcome, host and solve problems in real time.
HeyGuest, available through the Holidaymaker platform, is already helping clients automate responses, prompt upsells and make rebooking simple. It’s a natural extension of your team that fits the way guests already behave.
Beverley Holidays unveils the UK’s first solar-powered caravan
Devon-based Beverley Holidays recently launched the UK’s first fully solar-powered caravan, created in partnership with leading manufacturer Victory Leisure Homes and Rix Electrical Services . It’s a sleek and low-impact option that aligns with growing demand for visible sustainability.
The response to the launch shows how tuned-in guests now are to eco-conscious decisions. Particularly for Gen Z and younger families, green credentials aren’t a bonus – they’re expected.
This doesn’t mean everyone needs to launch a solar unit tomorrow. But it’s worth thinking about how you surface your sustainability efforts. Holidaymaker clients are already using digital signage to showcase everything from energy-saving tips to eco-partners, while the app makes it easy to highlight greener choices during booking.
Direct bookings are catching up with OTAs
Direct bookings now make up more than 40 percent of all bookings in some sectors, and deliver up to 60 percent more value per guest.
For years, many businesses have relied on OTAs out of necessity. But the gap is closing. With the right booking flows, automated prompts and smart integrations, parks and venues now have a clear path to growing direct revenue, while maintaining ownership of the guest relationship.
Holidaymaker helps increase conversions at the moments that matter, whether through a rebooking prompt in the app, a direct booking link, discount or QR code on your screens, or personalised guest messaging. It’s designed to keep your brand front and centre, and to give you more ways to drive value directly.
Where it’s heading
The guest journey is shifting, but not in ways that leave independent operators behind. If anything, it’s creating more space for the kind of stays people remember. The ones with real connection, good timing and a bit less faff.
Holidaymaker helps turn that into something practical. Smarter bookings. Easier rebookings. Tech that knows when to step in, and when to get out of the way.
If that’s what you’re building too, let’s talk.
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