I couldn’t tell you the thread count of the sheets at the last resort I visited. But I can tell you how it felt when the poolside attendant remembered my favorite cocktail before I even had to ask. Or how my daughter’s face lit up when a hotel concierge surprised her with a small souvenir unique to the destination.
Neither moment was extravagant. Both were unforgettable.
The brands we remember are the ones that make us feel something. And in a world where consumers have endless choices for their time and attention, those feelings can be what earn loyalty and advocacy.
After attending Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Summit in New York City and VISIT FLORIDA’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism, I’ve been reflecting on what makes an experience memorable. Amid conversations about AI, evolving consumer expectations and the future of service, one idea stood out: the more technology transforms how we interact with brands, the more valuable genuine human connection becomes.
For marketers and communicators, there’s an important lesson here. We spend a lot of time thinking about the stories we want brands to tell. But perhaps the bigger opportunity is creating experiences that give people stories of their own to share.
Rethinking Where Hospitality Happens
We naturally associate hospitality with hotels and resorts. Through rbb’s work with Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, I’ve had a front-row seat to how the industry continues to rethink what travelers value from their time away.
But the fundamentals of hospitality extend well beyond where we stay. Whether we’re traveling, exploring a new destination, spending time with family or attending an event, we’re often looking for the same things.
Do I feel welcome? Is my time being well spent? Do I feel connected to the people I’m with or the place I’m visiting?
Those questions matter whether someone is checking into a resort, walking into Miami Children’s Museum with their family, visiting Manatee Lagoon or attending a major sporting event like the Miami Open or Cadillac Championship.
Different experiences, same opportunity: make people feel like their time matters.
And often, it’s the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference. A thoughtful recommendation, an unexpected surprise or someone remembering a detail. None requires an extravagant budget. Just genuine attention.
Experience Is the Brand
One theme that resonated with me at the Travel + Leisure summit was the evolution of great service. During a conversation on defining good service, Hyatt Inclusive Collection’s Ana Tomicevic spoke about the importance of removing friction so guests can be fully present in the experience.
Great service isn’t necessarily about doing more. It’s about anticipating what someone needs and making it easier for them to enjoy the moment.
That philosophy extends well beyond resorts. Take Tropic Ocean Airways, which is introducing nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Key West. With private terminals, streamlined boarding and the ability to arrive just 30 minutes before departure, the airline is rethinking the travel experience around something increasingly valuable: people’s time.
It’s a reminder that hospitality doesn’t begin when someone reaches their destination. It begins with the journey itself.
At VISIT FLORIDA’s Governor’s Conference, keynote speaker Shawn Kanungo approached the conversation from another angle. As AI reshapes nearly every industry, he reminded us that hospitality professionals are ultimately in the business of connection, experience and escapism.
One of his points stayed with me: “The greatest strategy is caring deeply.”
Technology has enormous potential to simplify planning, personalize experiences and anticipate needs. But its greatest value may be creating more room for the human interactions that matter most.
Technology can make an experience seamless. Humanity is what makes it memorable.
People Want to Be Part of the Story
Another shift we’re seeing is the growing desire to participate in experiences, not simply consume them.
Think about the difference between visiting an attraction and becoming part of the experience. At Miami Children’s Museum, children aren’t simply observing exhibits. They’re learning through play, discovering new interests and exploring the world around them. At Manatee Lagoon, opportunities to learn about Florida’s wildlife and natural environment can turn a family outing into a deeper appreciation for conservation.
The same principle applies to major sporting events. The Miami Open and Cadillac Championship offer more than world-class competition, with food, entertainment and cultural experiences that give fans additional ways to engage beyond the action on the court or course.
What connects these experiences isn’t the industry or the audience. It’s the opportunity to turn someone from a spectator into an active participant. And that’s where the communications opportunity becomes especially powerful.
For brands, these moments aren’t just good hospitality. They’re opportunities to build trust, encourage repeat visits and turn satisfied customers into advocates.
The best brand stories aren’t always the ones we tell. They’re the ones people experience firsthand and can’t wait to share.
Start With the Feeling
If there’s one thing these conversations reinforced for me, it’s the importance of staying curious. Before jumping to the message, the tagline or the perfect words, ask more questions. What are we really trying to accomplish? Who are we trying to reach? And, most importantly, how do we want people to feel?
In communications, it’s easy to hyperfocus on words. But some of the best ideas take shape before a single word is written. Start with the feeling you want a brand or experience to create, then build backward from there. That’s where the best planning, programming, and storytelling can begin.
And as we embrace everything technology can make faster, smarter and more personalized, I’m holding onto some lessons from the golden era of hospitality: pick up the phone, handwrite the note, remember the details and prioritize human connection. The tools may change, but making someone feel seen, valued and cared for never goes out of style.
Whether someone is checking into a resort, introducing their child to a museum, or walking into a major sporting event, we’re all competing for something increasingly valuable: people’s time, attention and emotional connection.
Creating an experience worth their time is the first step. Making them feel something is what makes them want to come back.
Because when brands create experiences people genuinely care about, we have more than a message to promote.
We have a story people want to tell.