--- title: "What Subscription Services Can Hotels Offer?" description: "Weekly hospitality news — October, week two" published: 2022-10-14T04:00:00+00:00 author: "ONDA 편집팀" category: "Insights" image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65cedcec0143f11f616a7296_Frame_24.jpg" canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=uri-hoteli-hal-su-issneun-gudog-seobiseuneun locale: en --- # What Subscription Services Can Hotels Offer? > **1\.** [**HOW IS TRAVEL ADAPTING TO THE SUBSCRIPTION ECONOMY? | Phocuswire | 2022.10.07**](https://www.phocuswire.com/how-travel-adapting-to-subscription-economy) Video streaming, music, e-commerce, even cars — everything's a subscription now. _How many are you paying for?_ According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, Koreans subscribe to an average of 2.7 paid content services. [KT Economic and Management Research Institute estimates](https://n.news.naver.com/article/024/0000076341) the domestic subscription economy grew from ₩26 trillion in 2016 to ₩40 trillion in 2020, and could hit ₩100 trillion by 2025. **Travel subscriptions generally fall into two buckets: Access and Membership.** - **Access models sell permission** — VIP lounges, upgraded rooms, exclusive amenities, special services. Think airport lounge passes. - **Membership models sell perks** — discounts, bonus content, loyalty rewards. Think hotel loyalty tiers — but paid upfront. > **2\.** [**BALANCING BRAND ENGAGEMENT FOR GEN Z, MILLENNIAL AND GEN X TRAVELERS | Phocuswire | 2022.10.03**](https://www.phocuswire.com/balancing-brand-engagement-gen-z-millennial-gen-x-travelers-codegen?utm_source=eNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily&oly_enc_id=5156A8982123J3Z) **Gen Z wants brands that offer real experiences, emotional connection, and tangible sustainability efforts.** Earthweb data shows Gen Z makes up 26% of the global population — over 2 billion people. Hotels can't afford to ignore them. Travel software company Codegen recommends **gamified engagement with direct rewards, immersive VR/AR experiences, and hyper-personalization through big data.** They say hotels need to start now. _The challenge: attracting Gen Z without alienating Millennials and Gen X._ > **3\.** [**Why are Coupang and SK Telecom employees flocking to Gangwon-do? | Gangwon Daily | 2022.10.04**](http://www.kwnews.co.kr/page/view/2022101212301267154) Over the past two years, **more than 1,000 corporate employees have participated in Gangwon-do's official workation program.** Gangwon-do reports that companies like Dunamu, SM C&C, Socar, and MyRealTrip have introduced workation policies. A participant survey found that **87% said combining work and vacation didn't disrupt their productivity.** If you include unofficial corporate workations, **the actual domestic workation market is likely much larger.** As demand grows, **more hotels and resorts are equipping themselves with workation-friendly setups** — high-speed internet, coworking spaces, meeting rooms. Workation is becoming a legitimate work model, not a perk. > **4\.** [**It's not a hotel, but costs ₩500k a night — and it's booked six months out | Korea Economic Daily | 2022.10.11**](https://www.hankyung.com/economy/article/202210118301i) **Aesthetic stays are the new trend in Korean hospitality.** These are standalone, house-style accommodations with private yards and Instagram-worthy interiors. The market has grown faster than five-star hotels, fueled by workation demand and Gen Z/Millennial travelers. The sector is expected to hit ₩1.04 trillion this year. Popular aesthetic stays in Jeju and Gangwon charge ₩200k–500k per night — comparable to five-star hotels — and sell out quarters or half a year in advance. Most don't list on OTAs. They operate through Instagram DMs. **That's why Korean OTAs and travel agencies are now actively scouting aesthetic properties** to bring them onto their platforms. > **5\.** [**GOOGLE ADDS NEW TOOLS TO HELP TOURS AND ATTRACTIONS OPERATORS TARGET CUSTOMERS | Phocuswire | 2022.10.11**](https://www.phocuswire.com/operators-target-travelers-in-google-maps-and-search?utm_source=eNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily&oly_enc_id=5156A8982123J3Z) **Google Maps will now show ticket pricing and booking links for tours and activities (experiences).** Earlier this year, Google Maps started showing hotel prices and booking. **Now Google is expanding into activities — after flights and hotels.** According to Google VP Richard Holden, searches for "fun things to do" hit an all-time high in the U.S. last year. With **over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide**, Google Maps is poised to become a major distribution channel for tours and activities. > **6\.** [**"Guests are flooding in, but we can't handle them" — Why U.S. hotels are worried | DDangjigo | 2022.10.10**](https://realty.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2022/10/09/2022100900860.html?utm_campaign=realty&utm_medium=original&utm_source=daum) **U.S. hotels are leaving rooms empty because they don't have enough staff to service them.** Labor shortages are hitting hard. According to a May survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, **97% of hoteliers reported labor shortages.** Staffing issues directly affect guest experience. **U.S. hotels are turning to technology to fill the gap.** _Mobile apps now handle check-in, digital room keys, and light room service. Robots deliver items and assist with cleaning, offsetting the labor crunch._ > **7\.** [**"All we need is China back" — Business hotels recovering, but industry remains cautious | Korea Economic Daily | 2022.10.09**](https://www.hankyung.com/economy/article/202210095842i) **Foreign tourists are returning to Korean business hotels**, driven by endemic conditions and a weak won. The Korea Tourism Organization reports that daily foreign arrivals this month averaged 7,520 — **21 times higher than January.** L7 Myeongdong saw its foreign guest share jump from 10% last September to 60% this year. Four Points by Sheraton Josun Seoul Station went from 8% to 55%. Still, the industry is **cautious about full recovery**. Chinese tourists haven't returned in force, and outbound Korean travel is normalizing — which could reduce domestic hotel demand. > **8\.** [**Booking.com partners with Klook to expand activities and experiences in Asia-Pacific | Discovery News | 2022.10.06**](http://www.discoverynews.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=888138) **Booking.com has signed a long-term strategic partnership with Klook**, a global travel and leisure booking platform, to integrate experiences. The partnership brings activities from **30+ countries and 175 cities** to Booking.com — most concentrated in the Asia-Pacific and Oceania regions. In Korea, offerings include Busan full-day tours, Seoul zombie game tours, and retro costume rentals. This move reflects a shift: **expanding tours and activities in Asia to meet traveler demand for unique, local experiences.** > **9\.** [**TikTok emerges as ad tool for Korean companies targeting global markets | Ajunews | 2022.10.13**](https://www.ajunews.com/view/20221010134220505) Korean conglomerates and **travel platforms like Yanolja and Yeogi Eottae are using TikTok** for brand campaigns and service launches. A July survey found that TikTok surpassed Instagram in usage time among Korean teens. That makes it the most effective channel to reach future consumers — teens and 20-somethings. Yanolja's #YanoljaHae challenge on TikTok hit over 25 million views. Yeogi Eottae reported high booking conversion rates after launching TikTok videos. TikTok crossed 1 billion MAU last year and keeps growing. **Expect more Korean companies to use it as a key marketing channel for Gen Z at home and abroad.** --- ⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting.