Hotels Go Local Trend Paper

Katelynn Selig Hotels Go-Local Trends Summary
Trends Analysis
Hotels Go-Local
By: Katelynn Selig
April 29th, 2013

Hotels Go-Local
In the past years, hotels have gone with the trend of buying local and providing local
and healthier food options. As that has been a popular trend with both hotels and
restaurants, some hotels are beginning to take this trend to a new level. This trend has
gone from the “farm-to-table” trend to that idea on a whole new level. This trend is getting
hotels to use local foods in not only their restaurants, but their mini bars as well. It is also
getting hotels to use local artists work, local musicians playing on the speakers and local
products used in their spas. It can even go to the extreme of using local building supplies to
construct the hotel. The trend is catching on and many customers enjoy the experience of
all the local products while traveling.
This trend not only is becoming popular in hotels, but it is also becoming popular in
other industries as well. Some industries this trend is hitting aregrocery stores, and many
other retail stores as well as construction or architecture. The Local Food Movement has
caught on quick and all over the world and is expanding to items other than food too. Wales
has been encouraging people to buy food directly from the producers while Nambia’s
celebrities are pushing local clothing designers. Even Jamaica is pushing its hospitality and
tourism industry to buy local produce instead of importing it according to the globalization
101 article. This trend has caught on and is moving to the next level in many industries.
The simplicity of purchasing from a local company to provide those products in your
business can be a huge decision factor to some guests. Many people are looking for those
companies that use other local companies and going further with this trend will catch more
interest by certain guests. People enjoy getting a cultural experience when they travel and
they can do this easily when hotels offer local products such as items in a boutique, local
food options, music by local musicians and even locally made mattresses to sleep on. One
guest named James Reberry mentioned to USA Today that he likes to find the local fare
mixed with the standards so he can get, “a good taste of the area I’m in if I’m too busy to go
explore”. This trend not only enhances the customers stay, but it also strengthens the
community businesses and keeps the money going to the area you are purchasing it in.
Case Study #1: Hospitality Example
Hotels that have begun this trend are using some unique ways to offer the local
experience. The first example is the transition from your regular pringles and m&m’s to
local and even organic options in the hotel mini-bars. Hotels such as the Omni Berkshire of
Manhattan and the Fifteen Beacon in Boston offer local snacks like Boston baked beans and
North Fork organic chips produced in Long Island. This example of a go-local trend creates
a local experience for the guest without them even having to leave the hotel room. Although

the USA today article states that this doesn’t bring in a large amount of profit for the hotel,
it can be a decision maker for those guests who want a specific experience or support those
who support their local communities. It’s a small extra but can make a big difference and
open up the guest’s eyes to the environment they are in with a little taste of something
different.
Case Study #2: Hospitality Example
The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee has been around for over 100 years
and is now trying to do what they can in order to stay local and provide that southern
hospitality for its guests. This hotel is another case example for the hotels going local trend.
It started with the hotels restaurant using local food options and has expanded to other
local items since. The Capitol Grille of the hotel uses all local products for its guests. This
hotel went as far as purchasing a local farm for all its own beef and corn. This 245 acre farm
is just 5 miles away from the hotel keeping it very close which creates a very sustainable
brand for the Hermitage. The food isn’t all the hotel offers that is local, the boutique inside
holds items made by local artists and crafters. The hotel also is switching all of the
mattresses out for locally made beds for guests to sleep on. They strive to keep the
southern experience within the hotel from every aspect which gives tourists a complete
Nashville feel.
Direct applications with another industry
When looking for other industries that have begun this trend, I didn’t have to go far
to look.I did some research around campus and found the trend right here in Menomonie.
The first place that has used local opportunities within their business is the renovation of
the Memorial Student Center. Throughout the renovation, the management included
sustainable and local materials as an effort to better the community and support local
business. The University Centers director, Darrin Witucki provided us with a list of all the
local additions the building utilized during the renovation.
The list that we received was pretty extensive but following is a list of a few
examples and the impact the director said it has had on the buildings business and
recognition. One of the local products that the building had used was Sandstone from a
small town down the street about 10 miles from the building called Dunnville. This
sandstone was used in many parts of construction in the building including the
amphitheater columns, the front entrance accents and the front stair tower. Witucki said
that the benefits of using this material were it being locally sourced and it was more
sustainable. It saved money because there was less travel and shipping and the project
dollars were staying within the community. Another benefit Witucki mentioned was that it
helped the building to fit into its surroundings and make connections to the local
environment.

To name some other examples that the Memorial Student Center used would be the
Terrazzo flooring which was installed by a local company and the stones were sourced in
Wisconsin. Much of the furniture is also from local companies in Wisconsin. And finally,
about 85% of the contractors were Wisconsin owned businesses. The Memorial Student
Center did a great job of keeping money within the state for the multimillion dollar
renovation process. See “MSC Sustainability List” in the appendix to read more about the
local products in the MSC.
Direct applications with another industry
Another industry that is catching on to this trend is the grocery industry.
Transitioning to the local food movement has been popular for many restaurants and just
lately is catching on to grocery stores and even Wal Mart. According to the “Buying into the
Local Food Market” article, more shoppers are willing to pay more for local food. Going
along with that, consumers reasoning’s are the food tastes better, is more sustainable and
more trustworthy being they know where it is coming from.
When surveys were taken about this trend and whether local options were
important to grocery shoppers, it was clear that having local options is important to them
and they will spend more on local options. This topic is interesting because wealthy
consumers from urban areas are willing to pay up to 10% more for local options and 63%
of lower-income shoppers also agreed that they would pay more for local food options.
Although this trend is tough for large supermarkets and grocery stores to stay on top of
because of the freshness factor, there are ways and potential to be successful since
consumers are hopping on the local bandwagon. There are ways in marketing to be
successful with this trend for all scales of grocery stores, it just has to be done the correct
way.
Interview
Iwas able to interview the Director of the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Memorial
Student Center to ask some questions about the renovation of the building and the impact
of the local products used. The director’s name is Darrin Witucki. Darrin was able to send
me a list of all of the sustainable and local material and products that were used since he
was first hand with the renovation of the building. I asked him about what specific
materials were used in the building and what benefits it brings as well. He mentioned that
the reasoning for using the local material and products is because they were more
sustainable. The buildings goal during the renovation was to create a space for students to
gather as well as made it eco-friendly and sustainable so the local choices played a large
role with that.

As far as the sandstone goes, Darrin mentioned that it helps the building to “fit the
surroundings”. This comment also goes for the Terrazzo flooring. Overall, the benefits that
come from using the local materials and local products (furniture) is not seen or known by
students, but for him and some of the other employees that know these details, it makes it a
great thing to be aware of when you know the building has a lot to do with Wisconsin.
Business Landscape Impacts
The local trend expanding to the hospitality industry can definitely create improved
business for some hotels. However, it definitely has to be the right type of hotel that
attracts tourists and those who would show interest in the surrounding area. Hotels would
need to look into this trend before going with it and really seek to find if the benefits will
indeed impact the business for the hotel. This trend goes along with the local food
movement trend and can definitely catch on since there is such a rise in interest of people
who enjoy the locality of certain things. “The success of the go-local trend will depend on
how hotels handle what travelers want most” said Snyder in the article; “Even mini bars
going local”.
Five Points Relating to Course Content
One of the topics that was discussed in class is Diversification Growth. This topic
relates to hotels that are moving to local products because it explains that the hotels are
finding new opportunities to excite guests by providing a local touch to them whether it be
their food, beds, or artwork. The way the hotel does this is up to them but they can do it by
seeking new products for current or new guests. Suppliers is also a topic that was covered
in class and that relates to this trend. The supplier is one of the biggest decisions in this
trend because it is important that it is a local supplier and that it is trustworthy and well
known. The supplier can seriously affect a trends marketing plan so the right decision is
important; especially when your focus is it being local.
Natural environment is a topic that is stressed in chapter four of the text. The text
states that “preserving the natural environment can be good for tourism” so why not bring
that environment into the hotel lobby for the guests to be surrounded by. This can create
interest and an experience for the tourist guests. The increased emphasis on socially
responsible actions and ethics is also a topic discussed in the text. This can relate to the
local trend because it makes the hotel or other industry in a sense, more ethical to its own
community. It can also make it more sustainable depending on the product. Many people
these days are huge supporters of buying from local businesses rather than large national
or international companies so this can play a huge role toward certain markets as well.
Culture is the last topic that relates to this trend. It is also a huge part of this trend.
The hotel can create a culture by using local products and items from the community or

environment. Since culture is expressed through food, architecture, art, and clothing, and is
the most determinant behavior of a person’s wants and behavior (according to the text) a
person is likely to spend more in order to experience this in a different way. The hotel is
giving off a culture to the guests by providing these local items.

References
“Buy Local Movement: Regional Pride or Protectionism?” Globalization 101.N.d. Web. 15
April, 2013.
http://www.globalization101.org/buy-local-movement-regional-pride-or-
protectionism/
“Buying into the Local Food Market.”ATKearyney.Consumer Product & Retail. January
2013. Web. 15 April, 2013.
http://www.middle-east.atkearney.com/consumer-products-retail/featured-
article/-/asset_publisher/S5UkO0zy0vnu/content/buying-into-the-local-food-
movement/10192
“Even mini-bars going local” USA Today. 16 May, 2011. Web. 15 April, 2013. Web.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/MONEY/usaedition/2011-05-17-business-travel-
textART_ST_U.htm
Hermitage Hotel Buys Local Farm. Nashville on the Move. 20 April, 2013. Web.
http://www.nashvilleonthemove.com/2013/01/hermitage-hotel-buys-local-farm-nashville-news/
Kotler, Bowen, Makens. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson, 2006. Print.
Witucki, Darrin. Director of UW-Stout Memorial Student Center.Personal Interview. April 9th,
2013.

Appendix
Memorial Student Center - Renovation Project
Sustainable Design Features & Efforts
1) Renovation of an existing building. It is the most sustainable building practice.
2) HVAC System Replacement & Upgrade: Replaced 10 old units with 5 new units with a 50%
increase in fresh air intake. New units are digitally controlled and programmable.
3) All windows were replaced with Low-E windows minimizing heat gain and loss.
4) New on demand hot water heaters. Replaces the old and inefficient storage tank system.
5) Lighting Features:
a. Tremendous increase in natural light on the upper and lower levels.
b. 11 solar tubes in the Terrace.
c. 5 solar tubes in the Overlook Lounge.
d. 48% of building light fixtures are LED.
e. 48% of building light fixtures are fluorescent or compact fluorescent.
f. Occupancy sensors are used throughout the building.
g. Daylight Sensors turn lights on and off accordingly in public spaces.
6) Large window walls equipped with roller shades to manage summertime glare and heat gain.
7) Carpets are all 44.5% recycled content by weight. 30.7% pre-consumer & 13.8% post-consumer.
8) Terrazzo flooring has locally sourced aggregate and is a monumental product, meaning it will
last for 25+ years and requires little maintenance.
9) Ceramic tiles used in the new restroom floors and walls is 99% recycled content.
10) Paints and adhesives used throughout the building are all low or no VOC’s
11) Wall tiles used in the Skylight Market & Fireside Café all have recycled content.
12) The “blue swiss cheese” screens used in the Heritage Lounge booths are made with 100%
recycled wood fiber and are FSC certified and are low emitting.
13) Heritage lounge booths are made with reused bowling wood (table, walls, and ceiling).
14) Bowling lane wood was reclaimed and used as seat benches throughout the building
15) Decorative wood wall treatment at the lower level lounge is reclaimed wood paneling from the
Heritage Café.
16) Heritage Café fireplace was repurposed in the billiard lounge.
17) Heritage Café stained glass windows were repurposed in the Dining Offices.
18) The substrate at all casework is formaldehyde free and has recycled content as well as low VOC
adhesives.
19) The “crushed glass” shutter panels used in the Heritage Lounge has 40% pre-consumer recycled
content.
20) The blue bar-height countertops used and at the light strip at the booth banquette in the
Terrace have 40% pre-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
21) The toilet partitions are 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
22) The bathroom countertops is 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
23) The table surface in the Creation Station is 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
24) All restrooms are equipped with touchless faucets which minimize water usage.
25) All restrooms are equipped with touchless foam soap dispensers. Foam soap is more hygienic
and cost effective.

26) All restrooms are equipped with touchless hand dryers that energy efficient, more hygienic, and
have 12 or less second dry times.
27) The MSC has 7 hydration station water fountains (32,000 bottles in 1st
year).
28) The MSC has 30 waste/recycling receptacles that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled
content (milk-jugs).
29) The MSC has one electronic recycling receptacle for ink jet cartridges, electronics, and batteries.
It is made of 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk-jugs).
30) Dance floor and stage in the Terrace is 100% reclaimed lumber (200 year old 4x4 oak end cuts).
31) New floor scrubber purchased to clean the terrazzo floors only uses water for cleaning. No
chemicals are needed; it uses 70% less water than traditional scrubbers. Cleaning time has been
cut 75%.
32) New carpet cleaner only uses water for cleaning. No chemicals are needed, it uses 80% less
water than traditional carpet cleaners. Carpet cleaning and dry time has been cut by 90%.
33) All lounge furniture is GreenGuard or SCS certified for low VOC’s, meeting strict indoor air
quality standards.
34) Stacking chairs for Great Hall and Ballrooms are 20% recycled content and GreenGuard certified.
35) Banquet and Round tables for Great Hall and Ballrooms are GreenGuard certified.
36) Eight new bike racks and 2 bike pumps were installed around the MSC to encourage bicycle use.
37) 81% of the demolition materials and construction waste from the renovation project was
recycled. This total is 1731 tons of recycled concrete, wood, metal, drywall, acoustical
materials, and cardboard.
38) The east addition (MSC amphitheater) includes two rain gardens to pre-treat rain run-off
39) The Dunnville sandstone used in east addition columns and the west stair tower is a locally
sourced material.
40) Building traffic is up 30%, correcting a 20 year trend that was not sustainable.

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