Skift Take
Few companies believe that they can be everything to everyone, but that's exactly what Hilton is going after, by listening to its current and could-be guests for which products and experience to build upon.
Editor’s Note: This interview is part of Skift's CEO interview series. This series is with hospitality CEOs talking about the Future of the Guest Experience and the evolving expectations and demands of hotel guests. Check out all the interviews as they come out here. Also, enjoy the previous series on the Future of Travel Booking, with online travel CEOs.
Hilton Worldwide is the largest global hospitality company by number of rooms and is quickly innovating to meet customers' changing demands across technology, experience, and mindfulness.
For example, Hilton is tapping into tech innovation to improve guests' experience. In July, it was the first major hotel brand to give guests the ability to select specific rooms a day before their stay.
Hilton also joined the ranks of major hotel corporations putting a foot in the growing independent and lifestyle segments. In June, the company launched Curio, a collection of independent properties that wouldn't fit under its other brands. In October, it launched Canopy, a lifestyle hotel that connects guests to the local culture.
Christopher Nassetta joined Hilton as CEO in December 2007 after holding executive roles at Host Hotels and Resorts and several real estate and investment companies, after being courted by its owner Blackstone. He shepherded the brand up to and through its initial public offering in December 2013.
In addition to learning from travelers inside and outside of Hilton's system to inform new initiatives, Nassetta pulls on his own interests in sustainable growth and education to direct the global hotel brands' projects and priorities.
An edited version of Skift's recent conversation with Nassetta follows:
Skift: What are some of the biggest challenges that you're facing to improve the guest experience today?
Christopher Nassetta: One is the pace of change, both related to technology and, more generally, globalization. The other challenge is the war for talent around the world.
In most aspects of our lives, we have so much choice and control afforded to us today, in large part because of the technical advances that we’ve seen. People are driving all aspects of their life on a personal digital device, whether it be checking a boarding pass, paying for Starbucks, making their schedule, talking on the phone. People have so much more choice and control over how they interactive with everything in their life today.
The speed at which that's been changing is amaz
