Hot Hotel Trend: Aussie-made movement heats up for hospitality

Aussie-made movement heats up for hospitality

By Swisstrade As a nation, our love for locally made goods has always been strong.

But in recent times this fondness has reached new heights, encouraging Australian hotels to rethink their approach to purchasing bathroom amenities and guest room supplies. The penchant for Australian designed and made products was marked as one of the top trends for the hotel industry to keep an eye on this year. As we approach the end of 2022 and wit the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, this movement continues to gain momentum. A recent report from Roy Morgan found 96 percent of Australians prefer to buy locally made products, a figure unchanged year-on-year. “Support for buying Australianmade goods shot-up during 2020 and the first year of the pandemic and has remained high ever since as the closure of international borders and restrictions on travel during the last two years has clearly boosted the attraction of buying locally made goods,” Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said.

This research came just after Australian Made Week, a national campaign encouraging consumers to buy authentic, locally made products. As Australians continue to embrace holidaying in their own backyard, their search for local products has also spilled into their travels. Travellers, both domestic and international alike, actively seek out Australian made features when choosing which hotel, motel or resort to stay in, honing in on the origin of bathroom amenities and room supplies like tea and coffee.

The time is now

With this trend showing no sign of slowing, the time is now for hoteliers to tap into the Australian-made buzz. But you may be thinking, how do we best appeal to travellers looking for a local experience?

Peter Weingartner, Director of Swisstrade, an Australian-owned hotel guest room supplier says: “Supporting local producers has been an effective way for us to lead on environmentally sustainable amenity solutions, reducing our own environmental impact while helping Australian hoteliers in reducing theirs”. During this time, they have uncovered a host of ways to enhance the guest experience and delight the discerning traveller with luxurious, locally made features and fixtures which will have them returning time and again. Here are their six tips for how hoteliers can appeal to travellers seeking an authentic local Australian experience.

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1. Keep guests caffeinated with local coffee

Australians are very particular and often discriminating when it comes to their coffee and high expectations here have fuelled high standards and demand for high calibre.

Domestic travellers will have their eyes peeled for a topquality, memorable local caff eine experience, while international guests who have heard all about our coff ee culture are waiting to be wowed by a premium brew. One coff ee brand to consider is Pod & Parcel.

The specialty-grade coff ee from this Australian familyowned brand is roasted in Melbourne and packed into biodegradable and compostable coff ee pods, ready for any Nespresso compatible machine, delivering your guests an elevated, barista-style coff ee experience in their room.

2. Pamper guests with native products

How fortunate we are in Australia to have an abundance of incredible native plants and produce to inspire our locally made bathroom amenities.

When looking to treat your guests to skin and haircare products which are not only made here in Australia but feature locally grown botanicals and ingredients, you are spoilt for choice! Some popular options include: Olive Oil Skincare Company products which are 100 percent Australian owned and made, using Extra Virgin Olive Oil sourced from olive groves in NSW and VIC. Locally made Leif skincare products that are infused with Australian botanicals like Kakadu Plum, Eucalyptus, Lemon Myrtle, Wild Rosella and Desert Lime to create a distinct collection which transport you around Australia. The clean formulations are vegan, cruelty-free and gentle enough for all skin types.

3. Hug guests with homegrown bedding and robes

Discerning travellers know that comfort is paramount when looking for accommodation, and that all starts with the sleep experience. Enhance your guests’ quality of sleep by adoring your beds with locally made luxurious linen, blankets and throws.

Products from Australian linen designer and manufacturer, Bemboka, have been selected at a range of reimagined motels and boutique hotels across Australia to off er supreme comfort, durability, and style. Guests’ comfort and love for local has been extended into the bathroom with luxe bathrobes and thick, soft towels.

4. Dry guests with Aussiedesigned towels

When guests are soaking up our beautiful Australian weather by your hotel pool, what bett er way to make them feel even more at home with locally designed towels? Swisstrade’s favourite range for pool and beachside relaxing is from Melbourne-based Knott y Australia. Their premium Turkish towels are made from 100 percent cott on, designed here and hand fi nished in Turkey in a range of bright colours and patt erns. They’re also soft enough for your guests to wear as a sarong or scarf, and versatile enough to use as a gym towel or picnic rug.

5. Treat guests to top local tea

Many guests begin and end their day with a cuppa, so it could be said that it’s the most important feature of a room to get right. Upping the ante on your tea selection is also one of the simplest and most costeff ective ways to enhance your guest experience. Indulging your guests in a home-grown tea drinking experience with T2, the globally recognised Australian tea brand, known for sourcing and producing the highest quality teas using whole tea leaves and the best fruits, herbs and fl owers they can fi nd.

6. Inspire guests with the details

We know the length hotel guests go to in researching their travels, browsing Google reviews, perusing Instagram and scouring websites to uncover the nitt y gritt y details of hotel rooms, facilities and features. Be sure to capture their interest in locally made and design products by sharing the details of your carefully curated selections across your own channels, particularly your website and social media. It may just be the thing that gets your next guest over the line to make a booking.