By Andrew Wolffe, Creative Director
Over the past four decades, I have had the privilege of working as a brand designer within the hospitality sector, helping hotels, restaurants, resorts and hospitality groups define who they are, what they stand for and how they connect with their guests. During that time, I have witnessed extraordinary change; not only in the way hospitality businesses market themselves, but in how they operate, compete and create value.
When I began my career, hospitality was still largely a local business. Hotels competed against neighbouring hotels. Restaurants were judged against others in the same city. Brand design was often viewed as a finishing touch rather than a strategic business asset. Today, hospitality brands operate in a completely different landscape. A luxury hotel in Edinburgh may be compared with a resort in California, a boutique hotel in Tokyo or a wellness retreat in Dubai. Guest expectations have become global, competition has become international, and brand (that emotional driver for every business) has become one of the most powerful tools a hospitality business possesses.
Looking back on nearly 40 years in the industry, one of the most significant transformations I have observed is the globalisation of hospitality itself. The sector has evolved from a collection of largely independent local businesses into a globally connected marketplace where experiences, ideas and expectations travel instantly across borders.
Yet while hospitality has become more international, the brands that stand out are often those that remain most connected to their sense of place.
The Early Years: Place Was Everything
When I began my career as a designer, the industry was fundamentally different.
Travel was less frequent, it was expensive; low-cost airlines weren’t a thing yet. International hospitality brands were fewer in number. Information travelled more slowly; computers and mobile phones (yes, I’m that old) weren’t a thing yet. Guests relied on brochures, travel agents and recommendations rather than online reviews and social media.
Hotels were often defined by their location and heritage. A Scottish country house hotel felt distinctly Scottish. A coastal resort reflected its immediate surroundings. The objective was not necessarily to create a globally recognised brand but to operate a successful local business with a strong reputation.
Brand design was often viewed as a communications exercise rather than a strategic business tool. Visual identities tended to focus on logos, stationery and signage rather than creating comprehensive guest experiences.
The hospitality sector was local by nature.
The Rise of the Global Guest
The internet changed everything.
Online booking platforms removed geographical barriers. Social media exposed travellers to experiences from every corner of the world. Luxury hospitality brands expanded internationally. Travel became more accessible and more frequent.
Suddenly, guests could compare a hotel in Edinburgh with a resort in Bali, a restaurant in Copenhagen or a wellness retreat in California.
The result was a dramatic rise in expectations.
Beautiful interiors became expected.
Excellent food became expected.
Professional service became expected.
The challenge shifted from delivering competence to delivering distinction.
The businesses that thrived were those that understood they were no longer competing locally. They were competing globally.
Hospitality Brands Became Global Ecosystems
As hospitality matured, brand became far more than a logo.
The most successful operators began building complete ecosystems around their guest experience.
Architecture, interiors, food and beverage concepts, service culture, digital experience, sustainability, wellness, storytelling and content creation all became interconnected expressions of the same brand.
This shift has been particularly evident in the luxury sector.
Working with internationally recognised hospitality groups has demonstrated how powerful a clear brand vision can be when it is embedded across every touchpoint. The strongest hospitality brands create a consistent emotional experience and a compelling narrative, regardless of location.
Guests may visit different properties in different countries, but they recognise the same commitment to quality, character and experience.
That consistency builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. Loyalty drives commercial value.
What International Projects Teach You
One of the greatest privileges of working in hospitality is seeing how universal certain human desires remain.
Over the years, our work has taken us from Scotland to some of the world’s most celebrated hospitality destinations, including projects with luxury properties in Mexico, across Europe, California and beyond. We’ve worked with international groups such as Rocco Forte and Belmond, and we’ve worked with some spectacular privately owned properties.
Each location is unique.
The culture is different.
The architecture is different.
The food is different.
The landscape is different.
Yet the underlying principles of great hospitality remain remarkably consistent.
People want to feel welcomed.
They want to feel understood.
They want to feel that where they are could not exist anywhere else.
This is perhaps the greatest paradox of modern hospitality. As the industry has become more global, the value of authenticity has become even more important.
The Return of Place
Ironically, globalisation has increased the importance of local identity.
The world’s most admired hospitality brands do not seek to create uniform experiences. They seek to create distinctive experiences rooted in place.
Guests travel to experience difference, not sameness. The most successful brands understand this balance.
They combine global standards with local character. They deliver international levels of service while celebrating local culture.
They create experiences that feel both familiar and unique. This is where brand design has become increasingly important.
The role of a hospitality brand today is not simply to look attractive. It is to articulate what makes a place special and translate that into an experience that resonates with a global audience.
The Challenge for Hospitality Leaders
The challenge facing hospitality leaders today is significant.
Guests have more choice than ever before.
Competition is no longer limited by geography.
Reviews are instant. Data is ubiquitous. Algorithms rule.
Expectations evolve constantly.
A beautifully designed hotel is no longer enough.
A great restaurant concept is no longer enough.
Success increasingly depends on creating a clear, differentiated brand that gives guests a compelling reason to choose you over thousands of alternatives.
That requires strategic thinking, creativity and a deep understanding of both local culture and global trends.
Looking Ahead
As technology, AI and digital platforms continue to reshape hospitality, I believe the importance of brand will only increase.
The businesses that succeed will be those that understand what resonates both globally and locally.
They will recognise international guest expectations while remaining deeply connected to their own sense of place. Because despite all the changes I have witnessed over the past four decades, one truth remains constant:
People travel to discover somewhere different.
The role of hospitality is to make that difference meaningful.
Today, a guest arriving in Edinburgh may have benchmarked their expectations against experiences in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Dubai. The opportunity for hospitality brands is not to imitate those destinations, but to deliver something equally memorable that could only happen here.
That is the challenge, and the opportunity, of hospitality in a globalised world.
If you’d like to discuss how your business can be relevant both locally and globally, please get in touch
