The top tweeted terms are the trending industry discussions happening on Twitter by key individuals (influencers) as tracked by the platform.

1. Hospitality – 1,168 mentions

The new challenges facing the hospitality industry as it reopens, how the industry can capitalise on post-vaccination travel trends and a hiring surge in the industry were popularly discussed in the second quarter of 2021. According to an article shared by the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA), an association offering professional development, training, and networking opportunities, the hospitality industry is going to face new challenges as it reopens including high guest expectations and ensuring all employees and staff are both safe and trained in the new procedures. Consequently, service optimisation will be a key factor in determining the recovery of the industry.

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Richard Burns, a hotel expert dealing in TV systems and broadband internet for the hospitality and healthcare sector, further shared an article on how the industry can capitalise on post-vaccination travel trends in the hospitality industry. The article detailed how hotels can tap into guests early in the booking funnel by offering them tips and suggestions on destinations and displaying positive reviews to help in the planning and research done by customers.

For instance, brands can encourage safe vaxications, a new trend marked by vacations where being vaccinated is celebrated in the US. As a result, brands can offer safe getaways for travellers with vaccinated individuals in a travel bubble like the Kimpton’s Quaranteam Getaway, the article detailed.

Hospitality was also discussed in a new analysis that suggested that hospitality-related jobs postings in the US were up by 58% from June 2020 and by 28% from 2019. According to the article shared by Hotel Business, an online resource for surveys and reports on hotels, management companies, owners, and developers, many areas of the hospitality sector are opening up to short-term gig work. As a result, there will be numerous opportunities for younger people, school and college graduates, as well as long-term permanent roles.

2. Travel – 713 mentions

Fully vaccinated Americans being permitted to travel within the US, adoption of health passports by global travellers and the importance of vaccination to jumpstart travel were widely discussed in Q2. According to an article shared by Hotel News Now, a website providing commercial real estate information, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided an updated guidance that allowed fully vaccinated Americans to travel across the US without restrictions.

The hotels, meanwhile, are assessing whether this could lead to a rise in demand for bookings and occupancy. Southern cities such as Arizona, Florida, and Texas, cities in the east coast and Midwest cities were particularly experiencing a surge in demand for hotel bookings, the article noted.

Rafat Ali, the CEO and founder of Skift, a travel company, further tweeted on 90% of global travellers embracing digital health passports to jumpstart travel. A survey conducted by global travel technology company Amadeus found travellers from the US, the UK, India, Spain, Germany, France, UAE, Russia, and Singapore, to be comfortable using digital passports to kickstart travel. However, a sizeable 93% of the travellers were apprehensive about the safety of their data being saved online, the survey highlighted. Vaccine passports are also being considered by many countries, such as Aruba which recently launched one to enable quick vaccine verifications at airports.

Discussions on travel also involved AHLA’s tweet on the State of the Hotel Industry 2021 report that details how the hotel industry recognises the importance of vaccination to jumpstart travel again. Hotels are considering offering their support to state and federal officials to conduct vaccination drives, the report detailed. Additionally, the report found that a majority of consumers believed that vaccine distribution was a key factor to recovery of travel.

Although recovery of the travel industry is expected to commence in 2021, the report suggests that it is not likely to recover fully until 2024. The report also highlighted that the recovery of the industry will take place in three stages, with leisure travel recovering first followed by small and medium events, and business and group travel.

3. Cruise – 390 mentions

The cruise industry being frustrated with the guidelines issued by the CDC, and cruise lines outlining restart plans were broadly discussed topics in Q2. According to an article shared by TravelPulse, a website providing travel industry news, the cruise industry was angered by the new guidance outlined by the CDC that left tens and thousands of workers without jobs and without any timeline on safe return of cruise travel.

According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), approximately 400,000 people had already cruised in Asia and Europe since last summer, but US workers were being deprived from participating in the economic recovery. While all US ports remained shut, popular cruise lines such as the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Crystal continued to sail from The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Israel. Several cruises were also planning to operate from the Greek Islands and the UK.

The term was also discussed with regards to Norwegian Cruise Line announcing its plans to resume sailings from Jamaica, Greece, and the Dominican Republic. According to The Points Guy, an online travel website, three Norwegian Cruise Line ships were going to set sail by the end of August 2021. The cruise line stated that it would resume operations from 25 July 2021 with the 2,200-passenger Norwegian Jade sailing to the Greek Islands. Two additional ships, the 3,802-passenger Norwegian Joy and 2,394-passenger Norwegian Gem, would start Caribbean sailings on 07 August 2021 and 15 August 2021 respectively.

The cruise line operates 17 vessels and has implemented new safety protocols for the safe return of cruise travel for passengers, the article highlighted.

4. Pandemic – 260 mentions

Protecting the hospitality business in a post-pandemic world and the staffing problems and open positions in the industry were popularly discussed in Q2. According to an article shared by Are Morch, a digital marketing coach, it is essential to ensure that both the staff and consumers are safe in the post pandemic world. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the hospitality and services sector to an extent that an AHLA study points at 71% of the hotels not being able to operate for the next six months without government support.

Some changes that the hospitality businesses can bring about in the post-pandemic world is to remodel their approach to ensure more safety in their operations and services, remaining open to the idea of remote working, and educating their staff about the risks of the disease, the article noted.

The term was also discussed in relation to the hiring problems being faced by the hospitality and services sector post reopening of activities. According to an article shared by Michael Hraba, partner and project manager of communications at Waterford Hotels & Inns, the US is scrambling to hire workers in restaurant businesses. Despite robust vaccinations and reopening, eateries across Miami and Los Angeles are struggling to fill positions and hire staff, the article noted.

For instance, approximately 2.5 million restaurant jobs were lost during the pandemic and over 100,000 eateries were shut. The eateries that survived through 2020 and invested huge amounts of money in developing outdoor spaces are now struggling to meet the sudden surge in demand.

5. Luxury – 186 mentions

The new luxury range being announced by hotel brands and travel being the new luxury trend after the pandemic were widely discussed topics in Q2 2021. According to the Lodging Magazine, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced a new luxury brand called the Registry Collection Hotels. The company debuted the 144-suite Grand Residences Riviera Cancun under the brand, which will be owned and managed by the Royal Resorts group affiliates, the article noted.

Although the luxury segment was hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic compared to midscale and economy segments, Wyndham was able to maintain its business from essential workers in 2020. The new luxury space, which is the 21st brand of Wyndham, will allow hoteliers to use the property with more individuality and flexibility.

Luxury was also discussed in relation to travel being the new luxury trend, after a year of complete shutdown of the travel industry. According to an article shared by Hotel Business, hoteliers are now beginning to question whether travel is the new luxury in a post-pandemic world. As a result, adapting to the new traveller mindset and customising experiences is key for brands to succeed in the new normal.

Hoteliers expect the new luxury boutique traveller to look for more customised services today including comfort, safety and entertainment. Cultural highlights and scheduled activities are some ideas that can be incorporated on-property as a means to entertain guests. Local partnerships for entertainment and design, therefore, play an important role in fulfilling guests’ experiences to cope with the post-Covid stress and isolation, the article detailed.