Imagine this: Your hotel guests are unlocking rewards through sustainable actions, like recycling or opting out of daily linen changes. Your employees are excited to complete training because every module earns them points they can cash in for perks.
Once a futuristic fantasy, gamification has made great strides since its first appearance. Today, it’s set to revolutionize the hospitality industry.
By blending the science of motivation with a sprinkle of fun, gamification has the power to create unforgettable guest experiences (CX) and drive employee engagement (EX).
At its core, gamification means applying game mechanics like points, badges, challenges, and leaderboards to non-game settings. It taps into people’s natural desires for competition, achievement, and recognition.
In hospitality, this could mean gamifying a loyalty program, training employees through interactive modules, or even turning sustainability initiatives into fun, rewarding activities for guests. Are you leveraging the approaches and tools necessary to ensure your guests are always delighted?
This article explores how to implement these ideas and ensure that your guests and staff enjoy the rewards.
Step into the future of hospitality with modern strategies. Have a closer look at how gamification can help improve your brand and business.
Beyond Points and Toward Play
The days when free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast were enough to keep guests buzzing about their stay are long gone. Today’s interconnected, experience-driven world compels hotels to up the ante by weaving gamification into every touchpoint of their guest journey.
The result? Unforgettable stays and guests who can’t stop coming back.
Fostering Guest Loyalty
Forget stale ‘earn and burn’ models. Loyalty programs are getting a glow-up. Gamified loyalty programs are making engagement meaningful. Whether it’s for eco-friendly behavior such as skipping housekeeping, adventurous stays in themed suites, or anything in between, guests earn badges for that behavior.
In addition, the food and beverage industry can also leverage gamification to enhance marketing efforts and deliver nutrition education.
Smart packaging integrates interactive content that brings consumers to brand-specific stories and data. Additionally, this novel medium allows them to interact directly with brands to exchange customer-specific data to help with marketing decisions.
Moreover, some restaurant chains reward customers for choosing healthier diet options to increase customer engagement and loyalty.
Hilton’s Loyalty Program Drives Guest Engagement
Hilton Honors rewards members for staying at Hilton properties around the world. Members earn points for stays at hotels like the new Long Beach Hampton by Hilton and Waldorf Astoria.
The program has four levels—Member, Silver, Gold, and Diamond with increasing benefits.
Higher tiers unlock rewards like bonus points, free breakfast, and upgrades, while basic members earn 10 points per dollar. This gamified, tiered structure enables members to advance through levels—unlocking better rewards, much like in a game.
Members can pool points with others to reach redemption goals, and higher-tier members can also benefit from things like priority check-in and mobile key access, which add to the game-like experience of earning and unlocking rewards.
Empowering Employees
Gamification doesn’t only make work more enjoyable. It also makes it more rewarding.
When the employee is engaged, outstanding service is what they deliver—and gamification is a powerful way to get them there.
Here’s how it works:
Create training modules: Use games like challenges, quizzes, or even escape room scenarios to turn traditional onboarding and training into an interactive experience. This keeps the learning process interesting while helping employees learn more effectively and have fun at the same time.
Implement incentive systems: Gamify your recognition and reward your staff for doing so much more than they should. Reward exceptional service, meeting targets ahead of deadlines, or smashing sales goals with point systems, badges, and rewards. It’s like “Employee of the Month,” but with more excitement, tangible rewards, and a feeling of achievement. It also makes employees crave recognition and friendly competition.
You can turn these everyday tasks into play and progress, which helps boost morale, performance, and eventually service quality.
Oberoi Group Elevates 6,000 Employee Experiences
With a goal of equipping employees with the skills to deliver luxury services, Oberoi Group relied on online and in-person training supported by Adobe to upskill hotel staff in the art of delivering luxury services.
The program tracks employee progress and ensures continuous growth. Core courses allow supervisors to focus on personalized coaching, supporting employees at every stage of development. Oberoi Group achieved an 88% Net Promoter Score for luxury service and is able to ensure that +15,000 training programs are delivered annually to 6,000 employees.
The Future of Gamification in Hospitality
As technology evolves, the possibilities for gamification in hospitality are boundless.
The augmented reality (AR) market in travel and tourism is surging, growing from $15.52 billion in 2023 to $21.44 billion in 2024, opening new opportunities for immersive guest experiences. Moreover, the advent of AI-enabled companies to personalize gamification, creating hyper-relevant experiences uniquely tailored to individual guests.
Virtual and augmented reality can transform guest engagement, allowing them to embark on adventures that uncover your property’s history or neighborhood secrets. Together, these innovations are redefining how hospitality blends fun, functionality, and personalization.
Beacon technology uses Bluetooth to send real-time updates to guests based on where they are in the hotel. It helps guests find their way, access services, and stay connected with ease.
This technology gives guests the information they need, right when they need it, making their experience more convenient and enjoyable. By combining beacon technology with AR, hotels can create a modern and interactive environment that meets the needs of today’s travelers, offering both simplicity and engagement throughout their stay.
Conclusion
As the lines between work, play, and rewards start to blur, gamification is just getting started in the hospitality industry. It can improve guest satisfaction and boost employee engagement in exciting new ways.
By adding fun, game-like features to loyalty programs, training, and eco-friendly initiatives, hotels can keep guests excited and motivate employees in powerful ways. Additionally, new tech like AR, VR, AI, and beacons makes it easier than ever to create personalized and unforgettable experiences.
The real question isn’t whether you should use gamification—it’s how soon you can start. By rethinking how you connect with guests and staff, gamified strategies can help your brand shine in a crowded market.
The future of hospitality is here, and it’s creative, exciting, and full of opportunities. Are you ready to join the game?
