Research & insights
Welcome to our page on research & insights. Here, you’ll discover how community-based hospitality can be built on real data, lived experiences, and the voices of the neighborhood. Learn what residents and hospitality professionals truly think, feel, and need—based on our research, interviews, and fieldwork, not assumptions. Our goal is to turn research findings into practical knowledge that inspires more inclusive and locally connected hospitality.
Whose Culture Is Visible? Exploring Representation and Belonging in Amsterdam’s Neighbourhoods
Alyssa her research highlights a strong disconnect between the cultural diversity of Amsterdam’s neighbourhoods and how represented residents feel within them — while also revealing a clear opportunity for more inclusive, community-driven hospitality.
More than half of residents say they do not feel their culture is well represented in their neighbourhood, while only a small group feels truly seen and reflected. At the same time, perceptions of hotels show a similar gap: only 21% of residents feel that hotels in Amsterdam are genuinely open and welcoming to locals, while nearly 40% say they are not, and another 40% say only sometimes. This suggests that hotels are still largely viewed as spaces for tourists, rather than places where local communities feel a sense of belonging.
Despite this, residents show a strong desire to engage more with cultural life in their area. Over 80% say they would use a website or app to discover cultural events happening nearby, demonstrating a clear demand for accessible, local cultural programming and communication.
These findings become even more significant when viewed alongside the reality of Dutch society. The Netherlands is home to a highly diverse population with migration backgrounds from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Turkey, Suriname and beyond. Yet this diversity is not always reflected in everyday neighbourhood life or hospitality spaces.
Together, these insights show a powerful opportunity for community-based hospitality: hotels can play a meaningful role as cultural connectors by opening their spaces to local voices, stories and traditions. By actively welcoming residents and celebrating neighbourhood diversity, hospitality can move beyond accommodation and become a platform for inclusion, representation and cultural exchange.
Bridging the Gap Between Hotels and Neighbours: What Our Research Reveals About Community-Based Hospitality
Anne-Fleur her research shows that community-based hospitality has real potential — but only if it is built on understanding, structure, and genuine collaboration. Both residents and hospitality professionals express a strong interest in stronger neighbourhood connections, yet they experience different challenges and expectations.
From the hospitality side, professionals indicate that the main barriers to organising neighbourhood events are staff shortages, limited budgets, lack of clear guidelines, and management approval. Time pressure and limited event capacity also play a role. Despite these challenges, the willingness is clearly there: over 61% of professionals say they would be open to hosting neighbourhood events if support and structure were provided, and another 35% would consider it. This shows that hotels are not unwilling — they simply need a clear framework and practical tools to make community engagement feasible.
At the same time, residents strongly feel the impact of tourism on their neighbourhoods. More than half say tourism has negatively affected their sense of belonging, with increased crowding, noise, higher prices, fewer local shops, and less interaction between neighbours being the most noticeable changes. Yet despite these pressures, residents are highly open to reconnecting. Nearly 80% say they would participate in hotel-organised community events, and many already feel at least somewhat comfortable entering hotel spaces such as cafés, bars, and lobbies.
Together, these insights reveal a powerful opportunity: residents want more connection, and hotels are willing to open their doors — but both sides need structure, support, and a shared approach. Community-based hospitality can become a meaningful way to restore neighbourhood belonging, create inclusive spaces, and build long-term relationships between hotels and their local communities.
Real-time insights sip & paint event
To test community-based hospitality in practice, we hosted a Sip & Paint event inside a hotel setting. The aim was to bring neighbours together in an informal, creative environment and explore how hotels can become welcoming community spaces.
The response was highly positive. Participants agreed that the event was meaningful for connecting with neighbours and made the hotel feel more open and accessible to locals. Most attendees said they would happily join a similar event again.
There was also strong practical support: over 76% said they would be willing to pay a small fee (€5–10) for cultural events in hotels, especially when the event reflects their community or background. When asked what types of gatherings feel most appealing, food and beverage events ranked highest, followed by networking events and workshops.
These real-time insights show that when hotels open their doors to creative and social experiences, they can become true community spaces — not just places for guests, but places to belong.
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