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.
We picked up this penchant for Australian designed and made products as one of the top trends for the hotel industry to keep an eye on this year - see more in our trends blog.
As we pass the halfway mark of 2022 and make our way out of the pandemic, this movement continues to gain momentum.
The latest report from Roy Morgan found 96 per cent of Australians prefer to buy locally made products - a figure unchanged year-on-year.
“Support for buying Australian-made 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?
At Swisstrade, we have been sourcing as many Australian-made and designed products and partners as possible since our inception in 1997. 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, we 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 our six tips for how hoteliers can appeal to travellers seeking an authentic local Australian experience.
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 top-quality, memorable local caffeine experience, while international guests who have heard all about our coffee culture are waiting to be wowed by a premium brew. One coffee brand which we find always delivers is our Pod & Parcel collection of coffee pods. The specialty-grade coffee from this Australian family-owned brand is roasted in Melbourne and packed into biodegradable and compostable coffee pods, ready for any Nespresso® compatible machine. Deliver your guests an elevated, barista-style coffee experience in their room, choosing from our range of origins and local blends.
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 of our favourites include:
- Olive Oil Skincare Company - our beautiful Hotel Collection range of Olive Oil Skincare Company is 100% Australian owned and made, using Extra Virgin Olive Oil sourced from olive groves in NSW and VIC. Treat guests to the rich, moisturising benefits of olive oil on the skin, opting for shampoo, conditioner, hand and body wash, and lotion in high quality, durable, recyclable pump bottles.
- Leif - making the most of the incredible native plants here in Australia, locally-made Leif skincare is infused with botanicals like Kakadu Plum, Eucalyptus, Lemon Myrtle, Wild Rosella and Desert Lime to create a distinct collection of shampoos, conditioners, hand wash, hand sanitiser, hand balm, body cleansers and body lotions. With a range of uplifting or relaxing scents which transport you around Australia, these 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 blankets and throws from Australian linen designer and manufacturer, Bemboka.
Their blankets are made from premium organic, long staple mélange cotton yarns - including Australian angora and superfine blends of merino wool, Italian cashmere and Turkish cotton - individually knitted, pre-shrunk and expertly hand-finished to offer supreme comfort, durability and style.
Extend your guests’ comfort and love for local into the bathroom with our range of Bemboka bathrobes made from high quality, 100% cotton for a soft, absorbent and durable spa-like experience, and our range of thick, soft and sophisticated Bemboka towels made locally from 100% Turkish cotton, available in 650gsm and 700gsm in a unique single-ply absorbent yarn, finished with a mercerised cotton pique border in timeless styles.
4. Dry guests with Aussie-designed towels
When guests are soaking up our beautiful Australian weather by your hotel pool, what better way to make them feel even more at home with locally-designed towels? Our favourite range for pool and beachside relaxing is from Melbourne-based Knotty Australia. Their premium Turkish towels are made from 100% cotton, designed here and hand finished in Turkey in a range of bright colours and patterns. They’re eco-friendly, lightweight and quick drying, featuring Knotty's signature hand-twisted and knotted ends. 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 cost-effective ways to enhance your guest experience. Indulging your guests in a locally-made tea drinking experience is easy with our T2 Tea collection. Founded in Melbourne in 1996, T2 is a globally-recognised Australian tea brand, known for sourcing and producing the highest quality teas using whole tea leaves and the best fruits, herbs and flowers they can find.
Our extensive range of T2 Teas comes in individual packages with a plant-based, biodegradable tea bag inside, kept tidy in a stylish presentation tray. Your guests will appreciate their tea-drinking experience, one with complex and delicious flavours, created locally with an environmentally sustainable footprint.
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 nitty gritty 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.
