A guest rolls up to your hotel entrance, but instead of struggling with heavy doors, they glide effortlessly up the ramp. That same ramp that is crucial to wheelchair users also helps parents with strollers, guests recovering from injuries, travelers toting heavy luggage, and anyone else with mobility challenges. One thoughtful design choice, multiple beneficiaries—that’s the ripple effect of inclusive hospitality.
The active word in hospitality is hospitable: to make people feel welcome. And that’s what inclusivity is all about. There can be a misconception that inclusivity initiatives cater to a narrow market segment. But the reality is that by decreasing barriers by making features more accessible, you’re helping many more guests than you may realize!
So, while creating an inclusive hotel brand is the right thing to do, when you design for inclusion, you’re not narrowing your market—you’re expanding it exponentially.
Inclusion is Good for Business
Let’s address the DEI elephant in the room. While some may dismiss inclusivity initiatives as “woke” posturing, the reality is that the hospitality industry has always been inherently diverse. The current hospitality workforce in the US is approximately 25% comprised of employees from groups that have been traditionally marginalized. This doesn’t include women in general, which make up about 52% of the hospitality industry.
But what about this “Good for Business” part?
Guests are actively seeking inclusive hotels. According to Worldmetrics.org, 65% of travelers want to see different cultural representations in hospitality advertising and 78% of millennials consider DEI an important part of their decision-making process. Showing your Pride can also pay dividends, as LGBTQ2 travelers spend 23% more than other guests on average. Nearly half of all guests believe that hotels should actively promote diversity and inclusion.
Beyond appealing to guests, diversity proves to be a sound business practice. A survey conducted by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top 25% for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Research by Deloitte indicates that inclusive teams are 80% more likely to achieve high business performance (and it’s worth noting several other reports support similar findings).
Despite this evidence, BIPOC hospitality employees remain underrepresented in leadership positions, with only about 2% of BIPOC in leadership positions. And women, who make up more than 50% in the industry, make up only 30% of leadership roles.
A survey by Glassdoor revealed that 76% of job seekers consider workplace diversity an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers. Becoming an inclusive hotel brand is therefore a key factor in attracting and retaining hotel staff. One way to make your hotel more inclusive is through your internal hiring, promotion, and training protocols. If you find that your diverse employees aren’t management material, it may be time to look at the coaching programs you have in place to level up employee skills. It can be as simple as offering mentoring opportunities.
Diversity in your workforce isn’t just ethically sound—it’s strategically smart. Diverse teams bring varied perspectives that help identify opportunities and challenges that homogeneous groups might miss. A staff member who understands certain cultural practices can suggest amenities that delight international guests. An employee who navigates life with a disability can spot accessibility gaps that others overlook. When your team reflects the diversity of your guests, you create authentic connections that transform transactions into relationships.
Looking for more market validation? Major players Hilton and Wyndham Choice are investing by the millions in their DEI commitments.
Inclusion Starts Before Arrival: Your Online Lobby
Your website is often your guests’ first impression of your brand. A study found that over 70% of people with disabilities leave inaccessible websites. Beyond technical accessibility features, your visual storytelling matters enormously. Are your website images diverse in age, ethnicity, family structures, and physical abilities? Does your language feel welcoming to all types of travelers?
Consider adding accommodation filters and request options directly to your booking process. For example:
- Accessible parking space
- Ground floor room
- Roll-in shower
- Visual alert devices
- Hearing loop compatibility
- Service animal accommodation
- Dietary restrictions/allergies
This proactive approach shows thoughtfulness and enables you to gather essential information to exceed expectations upon arrival.
Inclusive Packages, Services, and Amenities
Basic accessibility amenities should not come at an extra expense to your guests. However, you can consider upselling packages and services that make a statement about your hotel’s inclusive values while providing value to your guests.
For example, consider themed packages that celebrate diversity:
- Pride Packages: Partner with local LGBTQ2+ businesses and events.
- Cultural Heritage Experiences: Collaborate with diverse local artisans, restaurants, celebrations, and cultural centres.
- Family Packages: Encourage multi-generational guests by accommodating mobility levels and interests within traveling families.
Include helpful information on your website as well, like a list of local LGBTQ2+-friendly businesses or neurodiverse-friendly recommendations. Research restaurants with accessible entrances and diverse cuisines. Connect with tour operators who accommodate various mobility levels. Partner with transportation services that prioritize accessibility. Your recommendations become extensions of your brand values.
No doubt your hotel has toothbrushes and shoeshine for guests who have forgotten these and other essentials. To be inclusive, consider expanding your amenities, for example:
- Noise-reducing headphones
- Sleepmasks
- Fidgets
- Weighted blankets
- Cleansing wipes
- Wobble cushions
- Heat pads
- Quality disposable period care (with over half of guests being women, consider making this a standard within your washrooms, along with toilet paper and shower caps)
While these items can support specific groups—such as autistic guests—they’re thoughtful touches that a wide range of people will appreciate.
The Heart of Inclusive Hospitality: Your Staff
An inclusive guest experience begins with the people who deliver it. Staff are the front line of hospitality, and how they respond to diverse needs can make or break a guest’s experience. That’s why comprehensive sensitivity training is essential—not just as a one-time initiative, but as an ongoing commitment to empathy, awareness, and respect.
The following focus areas can help create a strong foundation for inclusive service:
Invisible Disabilities Awareness: Understanding that not all guest needs are visible and that assumptions can create barriers rather than solutions.
Unconscious Bias Recognition: Exploring how preconceptions about appearance, age, cultural background, or economic status can influence service quality.
Cultural Sensitivity: Recognizing diverse customs, communication styles, and hospitality expectations from guests of different backgrounds.
De-escalation Through Empathy: Using reflective listening techniques like “It sounds like…” to ensure clear understanding and demonstrate genuine concern.
Age-Inclusive Service: Understanding that travelers of all ages deserve respect and accommodation, from families with young children to solo senior travelers.
This is a big topic and no one expects you to have all the answers. Look for local diversity training organizations to talk to staff and/or help you create a handbook or direct you to resources.
Hotel Tech for Greater Inclusivity
Your Property Management System (PMS) can be a powerful ally in creating inclusive experiences. Modern PMS platforms, like WebRezPro, offer features that naturally support diverse needs while streamlining operations.
Remote check-in capabilities assist guests with social anxiety, mobility challenges, or those who simply prefer minimal face-to-face interaction.
Digital key systems eliminate the need to navigate crowded lobbies, which is particularly valuable for guests with sensory sensitivities or during peak hours.
Guest Profiles help you flag and keep track of guest preferences and accommodation needs across all touchpoints—from housekeeping notes about scent-free cleaning products to dietary restrictions to front desk alerts about communication preferences.
Automated guest messaging can provide detailed arrival instructions, reducing stress for guests with cognitive differences or anxiety about new environments.
Room configuration and amenity search filters help staff and guests quickly identify appropriate rooms based on specific mobility needs.
Automated reports help you analyze accommodation request patterns to identify areas for improvement for your property or where your staff requires more training. This data-driven approach to inclusion ensures your efforts are targeted and effective.
The Future is Inclusive
The hospitality industry is evolving and properties that embrace inclusion today are positioning themselves as the leaders of tomorrow. With travelers increasingly seeking authentic, values-driven experiences, inclusive practices aren’t just the right thing to do—they’re a competitive advantage.
Building an inclusive hotel brand takes intentional effort, but it doesn’t require perfection from day one. Begin with staff training, audit your current practices, and start making incremental improvements. Listen to your guests, learn from their feedback and continue evolving.
Remember: when you offer accommodations, you’re helping more people than you might expect. When you train staff in empathy, you elevate the guest experience for everyone. And when you design with inclusion in mind, you don’t narrow your audience, you expand it to embrace the rich diversity of human experience.
Hospitality is about making people feel welcome and valued. Inclusive practices aren’t an add-on to that mission, they’re its fullest expression. And in a world where authentic connection increasingly drives travel decisions, that’s not just good hospitality—it’s smart business.
