Author and sex coach Olivia Pavlov says: ‘The luxury hotel industry is currently missing a major market by not catering to non-monogamous travellers; and they could be rewarded steeply if they began to target this segment of the population.’
While this market may have been ignored owing to the stigma attached to polyamory, younger generations’ attitudes are shifting to champion freedom in all forms – and as these young consumers age into the luxury market, they will expect it to respond.
With high-profile celebrities like Bella Thorne openly pursuing polyamorous relationships, the visibility of non-monogamous relationship models will encourage the lifestyle to come into the open. And with visibility will come the demand for respect. Shevlin acknowledges this: ‘All of us desire to feel welcome when we travel. Being a hotelier is an educational opportunity; its best to let the guest teach us the meaning of terms like ‘relationship’ or ‘couple’, and for us to embrace it.’
Polyamory retreat-style getaways could help polyamorous groups (also known as polycules) bond and communicate, or introduce open-minded couples to the tenets of polyamory. Hotels, meanwhile, with their abundance of facilities, various room sizes and services, are perfectly placed to cater to polyamorous thruples, partners or more. Polycules could also benefit from the pleasures that hotels traditionally promise – but only if the offers and programming are adapted thoughtfully.
Consider how hotels can embrace these new relationship configurations. Adding triple beds to the standard double and twin offering, or maybe three or more robes. In an age of hyper-personalisation, it’s simply a logical step to tailor experiences to these future guests, providing polyamory retreats – however non-conventional their needs may currently appear.
Amid the rise of The Uncoupled, hospitality groups are being encouraged to consider the guest of the future. For more, look out for our Reframing Romance Travel Market on LS:N Global.
