Print, Content, Marketing strategy, Luxury, Travel

The future of luxury hospitality – Part 2: Purpose and sustainability

Cathy Wood, Nov 20, 2025 10:22:45 AM

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If you still think the future of luxury is about more book-matched stone, chef’s table photo opportunities and overwater villas, you are already behind. The most valuable guests in the world are quietly rewriting the brief for what ‘premium’ means – and it has less to do with opulence, more to do with impact.

In part one of this series we looked at how shifting expectations among high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth travellers are reshaping luxury hospitality. In this second instalment we go deeper into the most disruptive force of all: the rise of purpose, sustainability and what is being termed ‘regenerative luxury’. This is not a side project for the CSR report. It is fast becoming a primary decision driver for the very guests who deliver your highest ADR and lifetime value.

For marketers and brand leaders, the implication is stark. Your next competitive advantage will not come from a sleeker infinity pool or a smarter room key. It will come from the story you can tell about how your property leaves its destination better than it found it, how it aligns with the values of a new generation of affluent travellers, and how it lets them feel both indulged and proud of their choice.

This article unpacks that shift and shows why ‘ethical hedonism’ is emerging as the new language of luxury – and how brands that embrace regenerative thinking now can secure both cultural relevance and commercial upside for the decade ahead.

The series continues with:

Part 3: Wellness and the quest for meaning
Part 4: Exclusivity in an age of access

Or you can revisit Part 1: Personalisation and technology.

From indulgence to intentional luxury

In the past, luxury travel was sometimes seen as the art of excess - think overspecified breakfast buffets, automatic daily linen changes and a ‘never say no’ service culture. Today that narrative is flipping on its head. 

The world’s affluent travellers have, somewhat surprisingly, become standard-bearers of responsible and meaningful travel. We’re witnessing the rise of what Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs calls “regenerative luxury”, where the aim is “creating destinations that flourish, not just profitable businesses”. In a single line, Jacobs captures a profound shift: the future of luxury hospitality isn’t just about not doing harm; it’s about actively doing good – for the environment, for communities and for the traveller’s own sense of purpose. 

This is luxury with a conscience and it’s resonating strongly with high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWIs) alike.

Do affluent guests really care about purpose?

One might ask: do wealthy guests really care about sustainability and purpose, or is this just PR? The data – and dollars – suggest they do care, deeply. 

The new Intentional Traveler study by Marriott’s luxury group found that today’s affluent travellers in Asia Pacific are “recalibrating how, where and why they travel – prioritising wellbeing, immersive experiences, emotional value and intentional design over volume and extravagance.” In other words, they are traveling more, but with a different mindset than before. “Luxury travelers are now more intentional than ever before,” says Oriol Montal, Marriott’s VP for luxury in APAC. “They are seeking journeys that align with their values, enhance wellbeing and deliver deep personal meaning.” 

This is a striking statement: alignment with values and personal meaning have become as important as the thread count of the sheets. And crucially, 72% of these travellers plan to increase their luxury travel spending going forward – so they are putting their money where their mouth is. They’re spending more, but expecting more in return than mere pampering. They want travel to enrich them, not just coddle them.

This shift is echoed by Agnieszka Rog-Skrzyniarz, Vice President of Luxury Brands Marketing at Marriott International, who recently shared her perspective with the International Luxury Hotel Association. She observes that the next generation of luxury travellers is younger, global and experience driven. They are no longer satisfied with beautiful spaces alone; they are looking for meaning, authenticity and cultural immersion in every stay. Gen Z in particular, she notes, places immense value on belonging, purpose and sustainability when choosing where to travel. For brands, this is a clear signal: the emotional and ethical frame around a property is becoming as important as its physical attributes.

Sustainability moves to the centre of luxury

Sustainability sits at the core of this purposeful travel trend. Eco-consciousness is no longer a niche; it’s gone fully mainstream in luxury. A few years ago, a luxury resort might quietly implement green initiatives behind the scenes. Now, guests actively seek them out and judge a property by them. As Patrick Landman from WIWT observes, “Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. Today’s travellers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, prioritise eco-friendly accommodations.” Hotels that promote green practices (from waste reduction to renewable energy use) “enjoy better guest reviews and loyalty.” This last point is key – embracing sustainability can tangibly boost your brand’s reputation and guest retention.

We see evidence of this in survey after survey: a Travel Pulse study (via Virtuoso) found roughly 68% of luxury travellers say recent world events have made them more inclined to travel responsibly (citing climate change, pandemics, etc., as wake-up calls). 

Guests don’t want guilt with their luxury; they want to feel that they can have their pleasure responsibly.

For brand leaders, this is also a storytelling challenge. As Agnieszka Rog-Skrzyniarz discussed in a recent article for the ILHA, the task now is to turn these values and initiatives into emotionally resonant narratives. Marriott’s luxury portfolio, for example, leans into immersive video, curated social content and collaborations with creators to bring each brand’s purpose and place to life. The goal is not just visibility but inspiration: digital touchpoints that make guests feel the soul of a property long before they set foot in the lobby.

Designing sustainability into the guest experience

Leading luxury brands are thus weaving sustainability into the guest experience in creative ways. It’s gone beyond urging guests to reuse towels. Now it’s about offering immersive, feel-good experiences: think resort-organised coral reef clean-ups for guests, or on-site organic farms where visitors can pick ingredients for the chef to prepare (farm-to-table elevated to an activity). Some hotels run educational sustainability workshops or behind-the-scenes tours to showcase their efforts in water conservation, solar power and community development. This not only differentiates the property but empowers guests to be part of the positive impact. 

As one hospitality professor put it, the industry has a unique power to “impart different values to its customers, potentially helping them adopt these values as their own.” Upscale travellers are increasingly proud to be associated with brands that mirror their ethical concerns. Luxury travel, in their eyes, should not exist in a bubble separate from global responsibility.

The rise of regenerative hospitality

The concept of ‘regenerative hospitality’ takes it a step further – and it’s capturing imaginations. Regenerative travel means leaving a place better than you found it. This might sound idealistic, but ultra-luxury projects from the Maldives to Mexico are proving it can be done. Resorts are not just carbon-neutral; some are carbon-negative, actively investing in reforestation, wildlife conservation or community education. 

The industry’s innovators, as noted in an EHL hospitality trends report, are “pushing beyond net zero, striving to leave the world better… making traditional sustainability efforts look ‘so 2024’.” A bit of cheek there, but the point stands – regenerative is the new frontier. When Neil Jacobs says: “the future of luxury hospitality is regenerative”, he’s both reflecting a movement and galvanising it. Six Senses (his company) has been a pioneer in this, tying wellness, sustainability and local community into a single narrative. And that narrative sells…

According to GlobalData, the regenerative tourism market is projected to grow at 12% CAGR over the next five years and regenerative luxury boutiques could see ADR (average daily rate) uplifts up to 40% over the next decade, outpacing their more conventional peers. In other words, doing good can also do well for the bottom line.

Purpose as a pillar of luxury branding

For hotel marketers targeting HNW guests, the implication is that purpose has become a pillar of luxury branding. It’s not enough to showcase the design and its features; you also showcase the solar panels discreetly powering it, the community artisans who made the decor and the sanctuary for rescued elephants next door that your hotel funds. You highlight that your property is plastic-free and that portion of profits goes to local schools – because these are the stories that resonate now. As Oriol Montal noted, this is about making luxury hospitality “transformational, curated and emotionally resonant”. And isn’t ‘emotionally resonant’ a striking term? It implies that a trip should stir the soul, not just the senses.

We see this desire especially among younger wealthy travellers and families: they want their children to see values in action, to come back from a vacation not just tanned but inspired or educated.

Storytelling across digital and print

For most luxury brands, the deepest purpose and sustainability stories now live on digital platforms. However, within that ecosystem, print still has a role, but a more selective and thoughtful one. Rather than high volume, quickly discarded collateral, luxury leaders are moving towards shorter runs on certified papers, low waste production methods and formats designed to be kept. Think of print as a tactile extension of the brand story, used for pieces that feel collectible - a beautifully produced journal, a locally crafted map, a limited-edition booklet that guests take home and return to.

Find out more about the role of print in luxury experiences in our article: The power of print in luxury hospitality marketing

No trade-off between luxury and responsibility

Of course, luxury travellers still expect, well, luxury. This is about addition, not trade-off. The modern affluent guest wants to have their gluten-free cake and eat it too: enjoy a sumptuous experience and feel virtuous about it. Hoteliers might worry that emphasising eco-friendliness means asking guests to sacrifice comfort (fewer fresh towels, no bottled water, etc.). But when done right, sustainability itself becomes a luxury feature. 

Consider the allure of a resort that’s a pristine private island because development there is carefully managed, or an organic gourmet restaurant that’s zero-waste – it’s an extra layer of exclusivity and care, not a lessening of indulgence.

In fact, many high-end travellers now perceive sustainable = higher quality. A well-known example: some luxury hotels have eliminated single-use plastic toiletries in favour of elegant refillable dispensers – no one lamented the loss of the disposable bottle; instead guests praise the move in reviews, seeing it as the property being in touch with the times.

Where wellness meets sustainability

One more nuance deserves mention: wellness and sustainability often go hand in hand. The wellness trend (which we’ll discuss in the next article) dovetails with eco-values when you consider concepts like farm-to-table cuisine, nature immersion, or meditation retreats in wild landscapes. A luxury retreat in the mountains that offers mindfulness classes may also emphasise its environmental stewardship – because the same consumers who centre personal wellbeing often care about planetary wellbeing.

An example from AFFLUENTIAL’s TrendLens 2025 report: HNW individuals want to “balance wellness with indulgence,” opting for plant-based meals or sugar-free options during retreats while still enjoying fine wine or a curated cocktail. This encapsulates the broader balancing act: health and pleasure, sustainability and luxury, not as opposites but complements. The luxury sector is learning that caring can be cool and responsibility can be deeply aspirational.

Purpose as a competitive edge

As a thought exercise, imagine two competing luxury resorts in 2025 that are identical in price and physical appeal. One goes about business as usual. The other has a compelling story of purpose – it’s solar-powered, it funds local cultural preservation, it invites guests to partake in meaningful activities.

Ten years ago, the difference might not have influenced bookings much. Today, it likely will. The latter resort offers an experience with depth. When marketing to high-end clientele, highlighting that depth can be the differentiator that tips the decision. It gives the guest a motive beyond self-indulgence – it gives them a motive of pride. They can feel, “By choosing this hotel, I’m aligning with my values, I’m part of something positive.” That feeling is gold in fostering loyalty. It transforms a stay from a transaction into a relationship between guest, brand and destination.

We can already see how this plays out in the wider luxury ecosystem. As analyst reports from Savills, Bain and Luxurynsight highlight, luxury brands from fashion to jewellery are increasingly “going on holiday” themselves, opening seasonal boutiques, pop ups and branded collaborations in resort destinations from St Moritz to Courchevel, Santorini and Bodrum. Hotels are central partners in this shift, hosting branded suites, curated retail and experiential activations that meet high net worth clients where they actually relax and spend. For resort hoteliers, that makes the purpose led story of place and community even more commercially critical, because these destinations are becoming the new playground for luxury brands.

So…

If yesterday’s luxury was about insulation from the world, tomorrow’s luxury is about intelligent engagement with it. Purpose, sustainability and regenerative thinking are no longer “nice-to-have” layers on top of your brand. They are fast becoming the organising principles that define whether your property feels ahead of the curve or quietly obsolete.

Your guests are telling you, in both words and wallet, that they want more than a beautiful stay. They want a story they can believe in, a sense that their presence contributes to something bigger, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing their indulgence is not at odds with their values. That is the promise of regenerative luxury: destinations that flourish, communities that benefit and guests who feel proud of the choice they have made.

For marketers and brand managers, this is a rare opportunity. You can keep competing on amenities, location and price, or you can compete on meaning. The brands that will win the next decade are the ones that make purpose visible in every touchpoint, invite guests into that narrative and treat “ethical hedonism” not as a slogan but as a design brief.

In this second part of the series we have explored how sustainability and regeneration are reshaping the very idea of luxury. In the next instalment we will turn to the parallel rise of wellness and how it intersects with these same values – creating experiences that nourish guests, respect the planet and strengthen brand equity in one coherent strategy.

And don’t forget to read Part 1 if you haven’t already.