Travelers Are Seeking Community: Here’s How to Build It

Date 10 February 2025

A desire for a deeper sense of community is shifting what travelers seek from their journeys. How can the hospitality industry facilitate it? 

Following the launch of our latest cultural study, Further Forecast 2025—Community Capital, created in partnership with SOON Future Studies, we brought together an audience from hospitality, design, tech, and beyond to dive into its findings in a webinar. 

Led by our Global Brand Leader, Sarah Doyle, and SOON Future Studies’ Co-founder & Global Futures Director, Sarah Owen, the webinar explored the concept of Community Capital and the science behind it, highlighted key case studies from the report, and uncovered opportunities where brands can tap into this emerging trend. 

We also invited two of our Originals—Tara Medina of Hotelito at MUSA and Nikos Karaflos of Dexamenes Seaside Hotel—to share their firsthand experiences with community-based hospitality. Below, you’ll find a full recording of the webinar, five key takeaways from the conversation, and a link to download the full report.

1. With Community Capital, we’re bringing the true essence of “community” into focus. 

As Sarah Owen of SOON Future Studies points out, the word “community” has become so overused that it risks losing its meaning. “When we were framing our research, we tried to get to the anthropological, sociological, psychological roots of community—and that’s where Community Capital comes through,” she notes. Community Capital is about creating ecosystems where people don’t just pass through but actively participate. “And a big part of that is about feeling seen.” This is where hotels and the broader hospitality industry have an opportunity to tap in. 

“69% of Gen Z respondents said they were more likely to book a hotel if it offered opportunities to meet new people.”

Further Forecast 2025—Community Capital

2. The hospitality industry has a clear opportunity to foster a deeper sense of community.

The report reveals a striking disconnect: “84% of people believe hotels have the potential to provide a sense of community, yet only 24% feel like they belong to one.” How do we bridge this gap? As Sarah Owen says, “Give younger people an anchor and a reason to connect—a compass that brings them together.” One example is Club Chess, a niche community that gathers to play chess in surprising spaces, including hospitality venues like The Standard, High Line, in New York and The Roosevelt Hotel in L.A.

Another hotel capitalizing on the power of “Niche Appeal,” as coined in the report, is our member Hotelito at MUSA, which hosts an annual adults-only Summer Camp. Inspired by the nostalgic, community-driven atmosphere of a traditional summer camp, it encourages exploration through activities, live music, games, organic gardening workshops, and surfing outings. “It’s that deeper connection, sense of home, and belonging,” says Tara Medina, one of the Originals behind the hotel. “Even the words ‘summer camp’ nostalgically put us back in that moment. It’s the play, the adventure, the intellectual, gastronomy, the permaculture, the wellness.” A wide variety of programming allows guests to connect quickly through shared interests. “As you would at summer camp, you quickly bond through the activities you sign up for.”

“Hospitality is a leader in tapping into and answering the guest’s curiosity. So, it’s about understanding where people are curious and diving deeper. It doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t have to be expensive—it’s about connecting people with their curiosity.”

Tara Medina, Hotelito at MUSA

3. There’s a new desire for self-cultivation—and it’s getting intellectual.

Knowledge is becoming a valuable form of social capital, fueling the rise of communities centered around learning and idea exchange. “79% of respondents say they would specifically travel to learn a new skill, but most hotels still treat it as an afterthought,” Sarah Owen notes.

How can hospitality move beyond basic offerings like cooking classes to create truly enriching learning experiences? One interesting case study comes from our Greek member Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, which hosts events that blend conversation with activism in its restaurant, dex.Silo.01, set inside a 1920s silo tank. “It works as a restaurant, but we prefer to call it a platform,” Nikos Karaflos explains. “We invite people from different backgrounds, like artists and scientists, to comment on different themes, creating immersive dining experiences that integrate culinary exploration with intellectual discourse.” 

As an example, its ongoing event series brings together experts from various fields to spark conversations around food sovereignty, cultural heritage, and the legal frameworks that shape our relationship with tradition.

“Community Capital comes back to this: You can enjoy the journey and you can enjoy the destination, but it’s who you’re with along the way and who is in your community that’s most important to your own personal fulfillment and longevity.”

Sarah Owen, SOON Future Studies

4. “The most powerful predictor of a long, fulfilling life isn’t in your smoothie,” Sarah Owen says, “but rather in human connection.”

A Stanford study found that strong social networks increase the odds of long-term survival by 50%. And here, hotels have a unique opportunity: The report reveals that 82% of respondents consider hotels to be spaces where they can improve their long-term health and well-being. “But we have to push the current paradigm on what health and wellness really is,” Sarah Owen says.

An early leader is she she retreats, a women-only retreat built upon fostering deep emotional connection. Instead of focusing solely on the physical side of wellness, as many hotel spas and yoga retreats do, she she prioritizes human connection as a key factor in overall well-being. 

“Hotels can work as a platform and a playground, in a very creative, meaningful, and educational way. I believe that experiences can be simple, low-tech, educational, and fun at the same time.”

Nikos Karaflos, Dexamenes Seaside Hotel

5. These thought-starters can help you get to the heart of Community Capital and facilitate accelerated intimacy.

People are seeking meaningful connections, and hospitality can provide shortcuts to help them form these relationships. Here are two thought-starters to help you begin designing community-driven experiences:

1. If you’re investing in new spaces, how do you design them to encourage interactions? The goal is to create opportunities for connection without making them feel forced.

2. How can you move beyond generic programming to offer experiences centered on knowledge sharing or niche interests? Tapping into emerging subcultures and unique experiences can be a powerful way to build community.

To learn more, download your complimentary copy of Further Forecast 2025—Community Capital here.