Short-Term Stays, Long-Term Thinking: Cross-Cultural Time Perception applied to Hospitality

Time is not experienced the same way around the world. Across cultures, the meaning and value of time can vary dramatically. For instance, when traveling abroad, one quickly notices that punctuality is not always perceived in the same way as it is back home. There isn't a correct or wrong way, it's all about perceptions and it reflects different cultural relationships with time.

In Anglo-American business culture, time oftens relate to productivity. The idiom “Time is money” captures a widespread assumption that time must be managed, measured, and monetized. Promptness, deadlines, and efficiency are seen as essential to good service and reliable operations. However, this view of time is not universal.

In many other cultures, time is perceived more fluidly. In Mexico, for example, one may think about the common use of the word “ahorita” which literally means “right now” but can imply anything from “in a moment” to “sometime later”, or even “possibly never”. Similarly, in Indonesia, the concept of “Jam Karet” (literally, “rubber time”) reflects a more relaxed approach to time, where social harmony and contextual priorities take precedence over strict punctuality.

Punctuality is just one example of how cultural perceptions of time can differ. As Marieke de Mooij notes: "time is a core system of cultural, social, and personal life. Each culture has its own unique time frame which influences how people deal with specific aspects of time in daily life." These differences can help explain significant variations in behavior, especially in hospitality, where timing, expectations, and service standards are central to the guest experience. 

To better understand these cultural time frames, this article approaches Geert Hofstede’s concept of time orientation, specifically, the dimension of long-term versus short-term orientation. While Hofstede originally developed this framework to analyze national cultures in a business context, it offers practical insights when applied to hospitality and a useful framework for understanding how time influences decision-making, planning, and interpersonal interactions.

Long-Term vs. Short-Term orientation: Hofstede’s temporal dimension applied to hospitality

Geert Hofstede’s Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation is one of six key dimensions in his model of national culture, originally developed to understand how cultural values shape behavior across societies. While Hofstede did not apply this framework specifically to hospitality, the dimension offers a valuable lens for interpreting guest expectations and decision-making. Time orientation reflects how different cultures perceive time, whether they focus on long-term goals and future rewards, or on immediate outcomes and present satisfaction. To explore how it can be applied to the hospitality industry, I created the figure below to illustrate how guest behavior can vary depending on where their culture falls on this spectrum.

Strategic Implications for Loyalty

In cultures with a long-term orientation (Germany, Japan or The Netherlands), values such as perseverance, planning for the future, and relational continuity are emphasized. From a hospitality perspective, this may suggest that guests from these cultural backgrounds are more inclined to respond positively to relationship-based loyalty programs, those that build over time, that emphasize brand trust, and offer rewards for consistent engagement. By contrast, cultures with a short-term orientation (United States or Argentina) tend to focus more on immediate outcomes, short-term benefits, and social gratification. Loyalty in these contexts may be driven more effectively by quick wins such as instant upgrades, flash promotions, or tier-based rewards that deliver fast, visible returns.

For hospitality enthusiasts, understanding these cultural lenses can help when designing loyalty strategies that feel intuitive and valuable for guests across markets. Below are some tips that can help empowering both operationnal and startegic teams to deliver culturally "resonant" experiences:

For Operational Teams: On-Property Service and Recognition:

Adjust the pace of recognition:

• Short-term oriented guests: Emphasize immediate status recognition. Make loyalty benefits tangible at check-in: room upgrades, drink vouchers, welcome notes.

• Long-term oriented guests: Build consistency across stays. Ensure returning guests are recognized by name, preferences remembered, and long-term gestures offered (e.g., personal thank-you from the GM on their fifth visit).

Train frontline teams about cultural time sensitivity:

Teach teams that not all guests interpret "timeliness" the same way. A guest arriving late for a dinner reservation may not be being disrespectful, it may be a cultural pattern. Equip staff to handle varied expectations around pacing. Some guests expect fast, efficient service; others value a slower, more relational interaction.

Create rituals

For long-term oriented guests, small traditions matter. Use previous visit history to welcome them back with the same wine, same room category, or same concierge team member. An idea may be to develop rituals for key milestones: a handwritten note after their 3rd or 10th stay, or an invitation to a “loyal guest appreciation dinner.”

Make the guest journey lasting longer

Encourage concierge or front office staff to follow up with loyal guests personally when feasible, particularly for long-term markets. A short note referencing a past stay, or remembering a family detail, can turn a guest into a lifelong ambassador.

For Strategic teams: program design & personalization tactics:

For Short-term oriented cultures:

Provide instant gratification
Offer sign-up bonuses, instant perks, or immediate-use vouchers.
Example: "Join our program today and get a free room upgrade or 10% off your stay, valid tonight!"
Why: These guests prerfer short-term benefits and are more impulsive in decision-making.

Gamify the loyalty experience
Use app-based, interactive elements like badges, leaderboards, or “spin-to-win” features to drive engagement.
Example: A digital loyalty app where users earn “travel miles” not just for bookings, but for sharing experiences on social media or leaving reviews.
Why: They respond well to immediacy, social gratification, and engaging visuals.

Showcase premium & trendy perks
Highlight access to new tech, lifestyle experiences, or exclusive social events as loyalty rewards.
Example: Offer early access to smart room tech (voice-controlled lighting, app-controlled services), or invite-only rooftop parties for loyalty members.
Why: These cultures often associate loyalty with status and trend-setting.

Use emotional, visual communication
Promote loyalty program benefits with short videos, influencer endorsements, and storytelling.
Example: A 30-second Instagram reel showing a loyalty guest walking into a VIP check-in area with music and captions like “Your shortcut to first-class comfort.”
Why: Oral and visual communicators need emotion and energy, not just detailed descriptions.

For Long-term oriented cultures:

Focus on Trust & Consistency Over Time
Design loyalty programs that reward repeat stays over a longer horizon, not just instant rewards.
Example: Create a “Heritage Guest” tier that unlocks benefits after 5, 10, or 20 stays (e.g., exclusive room upgrades, personal welcome notes).
Why: These guests value stability and long-term trust with brands, they want to feel the program grows as their relationship with the brand does.

Emphasize Value and Transparency
Provide detailed breakdowns of how points are earned and redeemed, with clearly visible value-for-money comparisons.
Example: Implement an online loyalty portal that shows point history, comparative room pricing, and upgrade value (ex: "Your points saved you €85 on this stay").
Why: This audience is cost-conscious and wants verifiable, rational benefits.

Offer Personalized Loyalty Experiences
Create profile-based perks that reflect a guest’s habits over time such as recognizing preferences for quieter rooms or specific amenities.
Example: A loyalty tier that allows returning guests to “lock in” preferences like room type or check-in style.
Why: Consistency and reliability matter more than flashy perks.

Integrate Loyalty Across Comparative Platforms
Ensure the loyalty program is visible and competitive on third-party booking platforms
Example: Partner with aggregators to show exclusive member pricing or benefits, even when booked externally.
Why: These travelers use price comparison tools extensively and may prioritize platforms offering transparency and control.

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When cultural time orientation is understood and thoughtfully applied, it becomes a tool for enhancing guest satisfaction and building deeper loyalty. By adapting both service delivery and program design to reflect how different cultures perceive time, hospitality brands can move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and offer experiences that feel truly personalized. In a competitive and diverse marketplace, long-term thinking about short-term stays can make all the difference.

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For more insights and talk about this topic, feel free to contact me at lamya@lvsacrosscultures.com or connect with me on LinkedIn here!

Books and articles I have read to write this article:

• Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

• de Mooij, M. (2019). Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

• Kotler, P., Bowen, J. T., & Makens, J. C. (2017). Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism (7th ed.). Pearson.

• Meng, J. (2011). Understanding cultural influence on price perception. Journal of Brand Management, 18(6), 436–447. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2011.12

Où le temps s'arrête. Favorite corner of Le Crillon, Paris - captured by Lamya Valter Schmidlin