As multigenerational travel continues to evolve across the Middle East, Shaza Hotels is seeing a significant shift in what families expect from luxury hospitality, with travellers increasingly seeking meaningful experiences, greater personalisation and the freedom for different generations to enjoy a holiday in their own way. Families today are looking for destinations where they can spend quality time together while also having the space and choice to pursue individual interests.
“Family travel has evolved considerably,” said Shaji Abu Salih, Vice President of Business Development & Growth, Shaza Hotels and Mysk by Shaza. “Families are no longer simply looking for a hotel with good rooms and leisure facilities. They are looking for experiences that bring generations together, create lasting memories and, at the same time, recognise that every member of the family may want something different from the holiday.”
The trend is particularly evident among families travelling from the GCC and wider region, where Shaza Hotels is witnessing greater demand for spacious and flexible accommodation, privacy, diverse dining, wellness and recreation, engaging experiences for younger guests and environments in which families feel genuinely comfortable.
For Shaza Hotels, who has long placed family at its heart, this evolution is closely aligned with the brand’s approach to the guest experience.
“A multigenerational family cannot be viewed as one guest segment,” Shaji explained. “Children, teenagers, parents and grandparents may have completely different expectations. The opportunity for hotels is to create an environment that gives them choice when they want it and brings them naturally together when it matters.”
This balance between ‘togetherness and individuality’ is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the design of family hospitality. Spacious accommodation and family-friendly room configurations remain important, but families are equally influenced by varied dining experiences, children’s activities, wellness facilities, recreation and inviting social spaces where different generations can spend time together.
Personalisation is also emerging as an important driver of loyalty. Understanding dietary requirements, remembering individual preferences, recognising returning guests and anticipating the needs of different family members can turn a hotel stay into a much deeper relationship between the guest and the brand.
“Ultimately, repeat business is built through emotional connection,” said Shaji. “Families return to places where they feel recognised, comfortable and genuinely looked after. That sense of belonging is one of the most powerful forms of loyalty we can create.
Our objective is simple: every generation should be able to experience the hotel differently, while the family remembers the journey as one shared experience,” concluded Shaji.
