E44: Revolutionizing Hospitality for the Next Generation w/ Alicia Zur-Szpiro and Saar Shai

Speaker A: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Future Hospitality Podcast. I'm your host, Jeremy Wells, joined today by co host Dustin Myers. We are partners at Longitude, a hospitality branding and design group at Future Hospitality. Our goal is to interview the brightest minds in the industry, gathering insights, ideas and inspiration to share with you. If you enjoy the podcast, please be sure to leave us a review. Thank you for your support. Today we're joined by Alicia Zor Shapiro and Sar Shy, co founders of Wonderland London and seasoned creatives with backgrounds in game design, toy invention and kids publishing. As the first kids and teens hospitality consultancy, they're redefining family travel with insights such as the Global Kids Hospitality Report and many other innovative ideas for engaging younger guests. Well, let's go ahead and dive in. Alicia and Saar, thank you so much for joining us today. We're excited to have you on the podcast.

Speaker B: We're thrilled to be with you. Thank you very much.

Speaker C: Happy to be here.

Speaker A: I found out about Wonderland London and the, uh, Kids Hospitality Report, uh, through a mutual friend of ours. I believe he's on the advisory board with you guys and his name's, uh, Jason. And when I first was introduced to what you guys are doing, it just kind of was a little mind blowing to me in a lot of ways. And I was just really impressed with kind of your approach to studying hospitality and the opportunities within hospitality for reaching kids and teens and kind of focusing on them with strategy. So it's really fascinating what you guys are working on and I'm excited to kind of share with our listeners and learn more about what you guys do. And so, again, appreciate you guys for joining us. I'd love to hear whoever wants to start just kind of a background of, you know, your journey to where you are now and kind of what that looked like. And I know, uh, from what you've told me in previous conversations, it's a pretty interesting journey.

Speaker B: Yeah, it's a bit of a surprising journey, I'd say. Neither of us ever really expected to find, find ourselves working in hospitality. Um, it's not our backgrounds at all. So we're both game designers, toy inventors, we worked in kids publishing. Um, we've manufactured and produced, uh, and distributed our own games and we've consulted for, um, other companies across the spread of kid industries. So we are quite unusual in this sector because we don't come. We haven't come up through hotels and hospitality at all. And maybe I'm jumping ahead a little bit, but we found ourselves over the past year or so diving into this world finding lots of interesting opportunities in that intersection between the world of kids and the world of hospitality.

Speaker C: And it's been, it's been fascinating and daunting at the same time.

Speaker B: It's.

Speaker C: We really started from zero, from not knowing anything about how hotels operate, how all this kind of machination and um, the markets and really there's so much intricacies and nuances but we really gave ourselves the permission to, to learn and to grow as we hear what people are saying and getting to know the lay of the land.

Speaker A: Yeah. And then I think for our listeners it'd be helpful before we get too far into the conversation. It's really fascinating, you know, your guys backgrounds as game designers and toy inventors and just in the industry of kids and strategy around them from a business perspective. But just for our listeners, listeners listening, I'd love to if you could just kind of give an overview of Wonderland London and you know, how you're translating and taking that experience and your background and turning it towards the hospitality industry.

Speaker B: So simply put, Wonderland is certainly London, if not the world's first kids hospitality consultancy. So we really focus on the guest experience when it comes to kids, teens and families. And everything we do really comes down to that segment. Um, obviously hotels, especially in the luxury space are doing incredible things for grown ups. You know, every detail is so well catered for, everything is so meticulous and beautiful. And um, as we started to wade into the, we realized that when it comes to kids and especially teens, there just isn't that same level of attention. Um, and because we understand kids and teams um, so well from our vantage point of uh, designing experiences, activities, games for them, we thought it would be really interesting to come into the world of hospitality with a really different lens. Um, so at Wonderland we're really working with hotels and the hospitality industry to bring not only our expertise but also the expertise of the industry behind us and all the partners that we work with to shed light on what it is that kids and teens love with the hope of adding real value to hotels, to guests, to the hospitality industry as a whole.

Speaker C: So we have the privilege of really introducing hotels to innovations and interesting creative ideas as well as know how from um, these, what we call kids industries in order to really create this new subsector of hospitality which is even more specific than in families. It's specifically kids hospitality and hopefully creating with our clients what will become the gold standards in how hotels greet and welcome and, and host kids.

Speaker D: Yeah, that, that is such an amazing niche that is, is so obvious. When you guys talk about it. But um, I don't think it's that obvious for a lot of people, just uh, kind of zooming out and thinking about the numbers and the experience. And I think most times that's, that's an afterthought, if it's a thought at all. So it's, it's really cool to see how you guys are putting that front and center. Um, I'm curious, how did you, did you decide that you wanted to offer this to hospitality or did somebody reach out to you and it kind of organically come about? What was that first, uh, project or entry point into the hospitality industry?

Speaker B: I think probably it was us driving it from the beginning. I mean we've been uh, so delighted with how this kind of new concept, this niche, as you said, of kids, has been um, received. But I think it sort of came from us thinking about our um, skill set and our creative energies as kind of game designers and inventors and I suppose just having our own creative exercise of what other industries could we take this to? Um, and I think also as parents ourselves, we started to navigate the world of travel and um, hotel space through the eyes of a family. And you know, we've obviously had some really wonderful hotel experiences, but more often than not we've come away thinking, oh, wouldn't it have been great? Wouldn't it, would it be great if they could have done that? Or like, oh, that was such a missed opportunity or you know, the kids were really annoying at that point. Wouldn't have been great if we could have occupied them with some little activity. And so I think it was sort of the confluence of our own interests as uh, sort uh, of game and experience designers matched up with our real world experience, our parents.

Speaker C: And we got into it really more because of our creative passion to create these um, interesting innovations which we might um, hopefully kind of get into and give you some examples. And it was very interesting and nice to see that indeed this is something that hotels need hotels should be doing and looking into. Not just, okay, what would be amazing to create from the perspective of the guests and from the hotel, but in fact the brand and kind of the entire commercial operation. And as you mentioned, you know, it's, it's uh, it's a uh, niche that, that really, the time really has come for it. And um, in our kids hospitality report we look into indeed the, the benefits of, well, the vast benefit and how lucrative actually creating hospitality for kids can be for hotels.

Speaker B: Yeah, I think it really started um, for us as a Kind of emotional piece, you know, like, how can you create, create these emotional bonds, um, and experiences between kids or teens and hotels. And then as we delved into the industry and we brought on m board some really seasoned advisors from the hospitality side, like Jason Crick, um, we realized that there was actually a strong commercial play here where hotels could actually stand to gain a huge amount both in terms of added spend and revenue, and then also about, um, loyalty, return visits, reviews, marketing, pr. You know, this whole world sort of opened before us in a way that we weren't quite expecting, where it's not only that we'd like kids and teens to have a better experience, but actually it's a real win win because hotels can stand again so much as well.

Speaker D: Yeah, absolutely. I'm curious. You said you have kids and that that's part of the inspiration. How old are your kids and how many do you have?

Speaker B: We've got two girls, almost six and almost nine. And um, Sasha, our, uh, older daughter, I would say is probably our boss at this point, steering the company very capably. And uh, we just do what she tells us to do.

Speaker C: I would say. There's no 9 year old in the world that knows the um, landscape of luxury hotels in London as much as she does.

Speaker D: That's awesome. So, yeah, I mean I could see how, uh, you guys are very skilled in this, gifted in this, and as you're traveling just kind of organically seeing the, the need for that and then as you begin to test, uh, gets confirmed that other people are seeing the need for this and not just the fun side of it and the making memories, but the revenue opportunity that comes from that. So, uh, yeah, it's really, really cool.

Speaker B: I think what we also discovered in a way is that this is the wrong terminology. So forgive me, but in a way this is hospitality's, uh, dirty little secret. Uh, which is to say that, uh, I think a lot of hoteliers and a lot of people in the industry sort of know that they need to be doing more for kids and teens, but they don't really know how and therefore they sort of stick with what they've been doing for the past 10 or 20 years. So, you know, there are kind of some tried and tested fallbacks that the hospitality uses for kids, whether it's the coloring book or the teddy bear, um, or the slippers in the room. And I think that's sort of where the hospitality has stuck to or stayed. Um, because you know, maybe it does take outsiders or it does take a different kind of perspective to Come in and try to do something different. But you know, as I said before, we've been so gratified to hear that by and large most people are really eager and excited and sort of know that there's something else waiting to be done in this space. Um, so even though it feels like, you know, we're sort of early adopters in a way or kind of first to the market, um, there's been such a great reception and I think we've got lots of enthusiastic partners to make this shift happen.

Speaker A: Yeah, I agree you guys, it seems like you're building the A team, uh, for kids hospitality in this industry. So it'll be really exciting to see, you know, everything that you guys come up with and all the innovations you guys make with, uh, your team and your clients. Um, one thing I, that I love that you mentioned, you know, uh, aside from the emotional and kind of experiential aspect of this, you know, what most people might default to when they're thinking about how to, you know, the benefit of focusing on kids and families, I think the real revenue opportunities that you mentioned, um, I think is really interesting to explore and even uh, we've discussed before off the podcast about gamification and loyalty programs for adults and how that's become over the last, especially last decade or two in the hotel industry. These loyalty programs and points programs and all of this is huge in the hotel space. But I think it's interesting how you guys are thinking about it from uh, a, uh, kids and a teen's perspective and would love to hear, you know, how are you guys approaching gamification and loyalty not from the parents perspective, but from the kids and teens.

Speaker C: Yeah, it's only natural to look at kids and teens through loyalty, um, and in fact how kids industries. So talking about video games, which are the masters of engagement, talking about toys and games and things that have been around for decades and how they kind of garner loyalty and engagement and interest in occupation with kids. And there's just so much to import from that into hospitality. At the same time, very interestingly, what we're seeing is the traditional loyalty programs for adults really seem to start to need a refresh or a rethink because um, the model is not sufficient anymore for the kind of post Covid, um, mid-20s traveler. And that's really interesting to see to your question about how we see the system and the program of loyalty when it comes to kids and teens. A lot of it is very much the same. Kids, uh, have the same sense of collecting, of playing the Game of really being, uh, uh, swept up, uh, by a certain framework. And that's something that we really kind of want to bring. But there are also interesting things that don't exist in grown up, um, loyalty programs. And that's more to do with the storytelling and the theme of it. So with kids and teens, you can really create kind, uh, of imaginary scenarios. You can really tell stories and justify and weave fantasy with the, with the, you know, let's say currency of loyalty. So it doesn't need to be faceless points. What we're looking at is really bringing to life the uh, adventure of travel and how it's reflected in, let's say, a game currency, that is the loyalty, but also in other kind of gestures that are more narrative driven rather than, uh, you know, numeric.

Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. One thing too, that you mentioned as you, you know, we're thinking through, you know, you mentioned kind of evolving the traditional loyalty program and, and all of that. I think you mentioned earlier that traditionally the luxury segment is kind of the trailblazers and new innovations and things like that. Um, and so I'd wonder, as you're looking at kids, uh, hospitality and the innovations in this industry, um, what opportunities even aside from traditional luxury, um, and just the luxury segment, what opportunities do you see in other types of, um, you know, lower segments, um, even or just different concepts within the hospitality community? You know, I'd be interested to kind of hear, you know, in America and, you know, I'm sure you guys have traveled through here quite a bit, like roadside motels are a big thing over the last decade, uh, these kind of budget reposition properties. You, um, see outdoor hospitality, uh, growing really well here in America as well. And so I'm, you know, I'm sure it's kind of different market by market and region by region. But just kind of curious what you guys are seeing in different segments aside from just traditional luxury.

Speaker B: I mean, to be honest, when we started this whole venture, we could have gone in any direction. There's so much in the world of hospitality to dive into. We sort of started with luxury for a couple of reasons. First of all, we're based in London, and London has possibly, uh, the highest density of luxury hotels in any city of the world. Um, and what we also knew about luxury hotels and travelers is that they are already kind of in the mindset of, um, the little touches and the extras and the kind of gestures. So we started with luxury, but actually the ethos that we are designing or, um, subscribing to has application across the whole industry. And I think there are ways of translating this mindset to every kind of hospitality outlet, lifestyle, outdoors, family, the more affordable segments of the industry. Our basic premise is connect with kids and teens in a way that feels needed, meaningful, memorable and relevant to them. Um, do something that's slightly different, stand out from your competitive steps. These are all things that could happen in any, you know, tier or segment of the industry. So it's not relegated to luxury by any means. That was just sort of to market

Speaker C: M and to continue what Elise? Ah, in luxury, as uh, Alicia mentioned, it's more of a race to the top as far as what they do for guests. Whereas with economy what we found is a lot of the time it's kind of a race to cutting costs. What I will say is that what is exciting about the lower than luxury segment of the market is the scale. So um, one thing that very difficult to do when it comes to the uh, hotels that we're currently working with is really kind of create large scale, large number initiatives and projects that really kind of span many, many properties because we're really kind of talking about uh, very unique and singular, um, hotel brands. But when it comes to the more kind of mid range and economy when you have this scale, one of the things that we're looking at is indeed uh, IP holders in the kids industries. So um, whether it's media, uh, and entertainment or video games or traditional toys and games and how we can create these partnerships that really scale hundreds and thousands of properties across the US for example. Um, and there's really interest with the companies that we're talking to currently from the Poison game side and it will be really interesting to see how we can do, how we can roll it out in, you know, across geographies.

Speaker A: Yeah, for sure.

Speaker D: Uh, yeah, I would say a lot of people listening are intrigued and see the importance of this, but maybe uh, don't know where to begin. M Could you give us some examples of ways you've implemented these ideas and into properties?

Speaker B: Yes, I mean in terms of where to begin, I think there's a couple of rules of thumb that we tend to start with. The first thing is are you doing anything different from your competitors or your neighbors? So you know, a lot of hotels read a uh, fairly compelling story about all the things they're doing for kids and families. But when you look at the detail, actually it's much the same as the, as the guy next door. So I think in terms of where to begin, find one thing that you can do that your property can do that is not run of the mill and it's not the norm. Um, and then the second place to start is really looking at teams as their own segment. Um, so you know, we're using the language of kids and teens, not just referring to them as families. It's actually within a family. You've got really different age ranges, segments, preferences, profiles, and it's really important to distinguish between, let's say a 4 or 5 year old and 14 or 15. Those are really different customers. Um, and um, most hotels are doing something for young children and almost all hotels are, are doing nothing for teenagers. And we know that these are um, a complex audience, but these are customers who are waiting to be engaged with, who are very engaged themselves socially online, um, and are ah, about to become guests in their own right. So their power within family is really high. And we also know that parents listen to teams, um, above all else when it comes to planning holidays and making decisions about travel. So again, the work that we're doing and where I would advise, um, other hoteliers to start is looking at teams and trying to do something that makes sense for the 11 age range.

Speaker C: What I'll add that I think is important for anyone who's listening and interested in exploring this further, is that the way that we say it is, um, small touches, big impact, it really doesn't need to be a lot. So when we talk about innovations and all the creative things that we can do and how it impacts different commercial aspects of the hotel might sound intimidating, but indeed we're really talking about small touches dotted throughout a stay. Whether it's an upgrade to the welcome gift or a note here and there, or just enhancing the communication before arrival. Any one of these can have huge benefits and huge value to, to a brand and specific property. And it shouldn't be, it shouldn't be overwhelming. We're not going to come in and install a water slide in your lobby or renovate all your rooms. We're really going to, um, you know, the way that we start is really with some magical small touches that really resonate with the guests and really bring something that they haven't seen before, even if that something is not, you know, an extravaganza.

Speaker A: Yeah, I love the, the idea of just small touches and, you know, the competitive positioning and looking for that, you know, as you guys called it, just that one thing that you can do that's not the norm and what is that? And really just um, you know, making that standout experience for your guests, um, I'd be curious, just kind of like kind of role playing or scenario playing in a way. You know, when we talk about kids and teens and you know, what the future loyalty program could look like. Um, I guess to two part question, you know, and I think you've touched on it a little bit but just diving in deeper like what, what is, what does the role look like of a kid or a teenager, you know, influencing the family's decision to stay somewhere and what does that look like or how does that play out in real life? And then also the second part of that question is, you know, what does it look like for, to, for it to cause loyalty or a turn visit? Um, you know, what sort of things can you implement or do or you know, the narrative that you bring to the, to the kid or the teenager that makes them want to come back again. I'm sure you guys have uh, brainstorm some really cool ideas and I think I remember one of the ideas that stood out to me when I first discovered you guys was uh, this idea of like a kid's mini bar. Um, that was one that was just like really cool to me. And I just thought like my kids would love that and almost all kids would probably love that. But you know, just what are some other ideas, you know, along those lines, whether it's amenity driven or programming or something else.

Speaker C: Just before, um, I'll let Alicia kind of get into some interesting and um, exciting examples of stuff that we are working on as far as the influence, the role of kids and their influence and travel decisions. Just before the end of um, last year, 2024, we released the first Global Kids Hospitality Report which really gathers everything that we learned in the past year and delves into the data and the findings and the insights from the industry wants to do with family when it's to do with kids and teens. And there hasn't been a report that focuses on that. And in there we actually find what we believe quite staggering figures uh, when it comes to how families make decisions. And you know, for example 70 um, percent of parents are influenced in one way or another when it comes to holiday planning. So travel decisions. That is something that um, that figure more or less appeared in several of the studies that we quote and.

Speaker B: Influenced by their children.

Speaker C: Right, sorry. Influenced by their children. And it's, it's just amazing how much our kids have these days. And yet you know, going back to the um, the beginning of our conversation, they're, they're quite overlooked, looked and it's, it's a niche that's not being um, you know, catered to enough. So definitely the role is significant and we found many different ways in which that occurs within a family.

Speaker B: Yeah, I mean again it's too much data to get into um, on this session. But um, the executive summary of our report is really um, accessible and worth reading as well as the full report which um, people can download. But uh, you know, we're looking at data points that say families are overwhelmingly influenced by their kids and teens. That uh, these are, these are people that are waiting to spend money on their kids whilst on holiday, only given the reason and the resources to do so. So you know, when families are on holiday they're eager to spend money to make the holiday go well. They've already spent hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars on a stay and on a trip and they are actually eager to spend tens or hundreds of dollars more whilst at a hotel in order to ensure that the holiday goes smoothly for their kids. We also know that they'll pick um, hotels and housing destinations based on the immediate that they offer their uh, kids. So you know, we can't overstate how fundamentally powerful and influential kids and teens are. Um, and then. Okay, your second question. So what are some of the things that we've been defining? So I suppose going back to what we've just said, what we do a lot of the time is look at what's going on for adults. You know, what exists in a homeschool that an adult is benefiting from, um, and yet doesn't really exist for kids. And what we're always trying to do is create a comfortable or superior experience for kids and teens as they navigate their hotel stay. And um, that starts from before they even arrive. So we're looking at things like communications, surveys, engagement before a family even walks through the door. Uh, you know, a holiday, a trip might last days, possibly a week or two, but the anticipation of a trip lasts weeks or months. And if you can capitalise on that phase for that period of time, you're already building such a strong connection with your guests. And I think that's especially relevant for kids and teens who aren't as weary, um, when it comes to all of those sort of, you know, communications and reaching out. Um, so that's the first piece looking at what happens before the stay. You mentioned the kids minibar. So again that's an example of where a family might walk into a room and there's something that really appeals to the grown ups, but there isn't something there that necessarily speaks to the child.

Speaker C: It's just interesting. Uh, sorry to interrupt. As adults we have a certain relationship with the minibar. Um, you know, whether it's overpriced or it's a convenience, uh, uh, that's kind of, uh, something that we have um, thoughts about when we walk into a hotel. But the interesting thing is that for a child it's a treasure chest. It's something that has amazing stuff in it that is curious and it's a shame to not utilize that kind of moment, that kind of association, which is why we created the Kismin Bar.

Speaker B: Um, so the Wonderland Kids minibar, or indeed any kids minibar, uh, instead of being full of bottles of alcohol, would be full of little uh, trinkets and tricks and games and gadgets. Um, so trying to kind of, as far as help capitalise on that moment of excitement and wonder that a child still feels when they walk into a hotel room. Um, it also really helps occupy a child for a few minutes here and there whilst the parents are unpacking or getting settled. Um, and going back to something that we said earlier, you know, it doesn't need to be a whole day's activity that we're occupying the child for. We're not a kids club. And you know, I think what we're seeing is that actually magic can be delivered in moments. It doesn't need to be hours. We don't need to take children away from their parents to give them a relief. We can just occupy the kids for five or 10 minutes and in those few minutes a, uh, hotel, uh, uh, a holiday can um, succeed. Um, so with the kids minibar, m. You know, by putting a few really well thought out and well curated gifts and games in the room, um, you can transform how a holiday begins.

Speaker A: That's really cool. Yeah, I, I just love the way you guys think through it and it's pretty refreshing, uh, to see that approach, I think, in my mind. Um, and I'm by no means a cynical person, but I know that the hospitality industry and hotel industry is kind of notorious for being a little slow to move and slow to innovate. So I'm curious, um, as you guys are exploring these really cool and creative ideas and innovations in the space, um, what do you think might be, um, some challenges for adoption, at least at scale, um, for the hotel industry and kind of changing minds and mindsets around kids and teens hospitality.

Speaker B: Yeah, I think that's a great question. I think, you know, we're kind of, as I said, we've been really, really pleased with overall the Reception that, you know, we're talking about is getting. But there is also pushback because hotels are, um, incredibly stretched, both when it comes to resources and when it comes to budget. And I think from my perspective, I don't know whether you've got a different one. I think those are the two hurdles that we're coming up against. When we're saying, wouldn't it be great to do something different? And we're sort of having to say, you know, compared to the expenditure, uh, that hotels have when it comes to what they're doing for adults, this is pennies, this is small from, you know, we're talking basically about a handful of dollars that can win bookings worth thousands of dollars and a lifetime value of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, you know, we know that we're asking hotels to sort of root around their budgets in a way that they might not have done before and come up with, as I said, a few dollars or a few pounds. But actually, when you look at the ROI on, um, this sort of spend or activity, it's just overwhelmingly advantageous for a hotel. But I think getting that message across is a challenge for us.

Speaker C: Yeah, I think you're describing, you know, the sales challenges that we're facing priority, quite frankly. And it really is our job to explain why this has an impact, why it will happen. So one kind of major, uh, pushback that we received is when a hotel does do something and they believe that because they do something that checks the box and therefore nothing, nothing else is required. But it's not about checking the box. And a lot of the time what we see that they're doing is. Is, you know, frankly, subpar. So it's, you know, it's quite a challenge to explain to a hotel that, uh, you know, a lot of the time either just believes that it's enough or even takes pride in what they're doing and kind of, uh, you know, uh, trying to explain to them that there's just more to be done and that it can be done better. And I think, like, you know, like any business, it's. We're coming in with. With a creative vision which, as Alicia mentioned, and again to mention, we were really pleased by. By the level of, uh, reception and how much it was embraced. And people. People did share our vision, translating it into practice as far as, um, you know, indeed, um, finding the budget for it. The interesting thing is, and in. In our report, we mentioned that we haven't found a single person at hotel, whether it's at the, uh, property level or the executive level of a group or brand that really has family and the title, there's no one that really focuses on, is in charge of that. So you know, even if you just simply look at a budget, look at a spreadsheet, this is, this is not something that hotels are used to spend on. And our major challenge is to either find that badge, find uh, that budget, or show that indeed it's an expense that translates to uh, return on base investment in certain commercial aspects of the hotel. For example, with marketing and pr, where the story is so valuable that giving something that is a, uh, few dollars more expensive than what a hotel typically gives pays dividends. Indeed, um, the attention and the online presence that this provides the hotel venture.

Speaker D: Yeah, I love what you said earlier. Small, um, touches big impact. And we, at least in the States, we see a lot of concepts where it's all or nothing. Like there are resorts and in hotels that are purely like kids focused, teen, uh, focused and then most of them are not. So I, I love that you guys are trying to create a more holistic strategy for, for the hospitality industry in, in kind of bridging that gap where it doesn't have to be water slides and, and all of that kind of stuff, but it is taking it very seriously and strategically to create a meaningful experience for people across all the generations. So I'm curious, as, as you look to the future, um, what do you see in the next five to 10 years and how do you guys hope to influence the industry?

Speaker B: It's a good question.

Speaker C: It's a big question. It's one that uh, we're both kind of indulging in our vision where we want to go and yet try to on a different day by day basis, go back to the trenches and make another little thing work, um, or get it through approval. But we have really high hopes. We believe, and this is supported by data, that family travel and kids as a segment will be something that will be recognized, is really a significant portion of that market. And what we want to do is we want to create these gold standards, these hallmarks of hospitality, just like they've been done over the past decades and sometimes centuries for grown uh, ups, things that you, that we now expect and that are part of the magic of booking, going, staying at the hotel will be something that kids will look forward to and know to expect these little moments of magic. And you know, it's interesting because you mentioned the all or nothing and you know, the resorts and the destination that do go all out because they are Primarily for families. And what we're trying to do here is really convince hotels that it doesn't need to be all or nothing. You know, even doing a little bit and a little better can go a long way. Disney is one of our inspirations because that really is, you know, it's the magical kingdom and it's indeed travel and hospitality. In a way, it's its own category. And we believe that we can bring some of that magic to hotels. It doesn't need to be Disneyland, but we can bring some of that Disney magic to any hotel. A, uh, lot of what is happening is actually in the child's imagination. And what we want to do is create moments, create amenities and create procedures that will really unlock that. And when a child goes to a hotel, it will be as if they're going on an adventure.

Speaker B: And just to add to that, you know, I think we've got huge ambitions for what we can do to the hospitality industry. And I think also wearing our game designer hats, we're also really excited to think about hotels as a platform or a space or a medium for new gameplay styles and, um, you know, kind of game or interactive experiences that can only uniquely happen in a hotel setting. It's just such an unusual sort of place to be. It's not a home, it's not a shop, it's certainly not an online store. Uh, so I think it gives way to so many interesting ways of interacting from a gameplay, community, engagement point of view, bringing in different brands, products. You know, spending the night somewhere is magical in itself. So I think, you know, with one hand, thinking about hospitality, we can't wait to help bring value to hotels by creating these new innovations and then wearing our game designer hats. I think we're also really excited to sort of let our imaginations m run wild in what we can do in a hotel that just doesn't exist anywhere else.

Speaker D: That's really exciting. Yeah. I love the vision that you guys have and your passion and the background that you bring to it. Um, as we kind of wrap up, how can people find out more about you and how can they, uh, received the kids hospitality report that you put together.

Speaker B: Wonderland website is Wonderland Wonderland with an A London. And then the first global kids hospitality report is@kids hospitality.org and then we're always happy to get emails to Alicia A L I C I A at Wonderland London. So we're always happy to chat about all things kids, teens, families and where hospitality.

Speaker C: We're still learning and we really love to, um, be in touch with people from the industry from all over the world and together kind of come up with these amazing hospitality moments together.

Speaker D: Very, very cool. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining us. It was an honor to get, uh, to dive into this topic together and uh, I'm inspired to go look for opportunities and ideas and uh, yeah, just thank you for sharing with us.

Speaker B: Thank you so much for having us for your brilliant questions and for opening up this world with us a bit.

Speaker D: Excellent. All right, we'll talk soon.

Speaker C: Thank you.

Speaker A: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed today's episode of the Future Hospitality podcast. If you enjoyed today's topic and episode, please leave us a review. If you'd like to learn more about Longitude, you can visit longitudebranding.com to see our portfolio of design work, read our Insights blog and learn more about our team. You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook by searching for Longitude branding.