Yesterday, TripAdvisor revealed the results of its first-ever 360° survey, which reveals U.S. lodging trends according to travelers and hospitality business owners and managers. Surveys of more than 1,000 U.S. travelers and more than 600 U.S. hotel representatives shows that WiFi Internet access and breakfast included with booking are king, while a turndown service offers very little value.
Of the travelers surveyed, 54 percent said they have canceled a lodging reservation because they found better amenities at a different property.
So what were the top amenities in the survey? The following shows the Top 5 most important amenities according to U.S. travelers who most often book hotels. Additionally, respondents representing hotels gauged how important these same amenities are to travelers. Their answers are displayed below:
Most Important Hotel Amenities. (Percentages: Travelers Who Most often Book Hotels / Hotel Owners and Managers)
1. WiFi Internet Access 85% / 99%
2. Breakfast Included with Booking 78% / 79%
3. Guest Loyalty Points 72% / 55%
4. Restaurant 71%/ 70%
5. Shuttle Service to Local Attractions/Airport 66% / 41%
Top 5 Least Important Amenities to U.S. Travelers
1. Turndown Service 87% / 83%
2. Pets Allowed 85% / 38%
3. Spa 79% / 75%
4. Tours/Excursions/Activities 76% / 65%
5. Room Service 72% / 49%
Does it Pay to Have Wi-Fi Internet Access?
· 88% of travelers expect WiFi Internet access to be free of charge in all lodging types
· 41% of travelers have never paid for Wi-Fi Internet access
· 65% said they have used free Wi-Fi Internet in an accommodation’s lobby or common areas to avoid paying for in-room access
According to the survey, 93 percent of accommodations report offering some form of free Wi-Fi Internet access to their guests.
“While accommodations generally appear to be in sync with most traveler amenity preferences, our first-ever 360° survey reveals that there are a number of opportunities for lodging businesses to shift the focus from some services to others to capture travelers’ attention,” said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. “For example, offering complimentary or discounted tickets, recommendations or even a shuttle service to local attractions or a nearby airport may help tip the balance in a property’s favor, especially when you consider that more than half of travelers say they’ve canceled a reservation because they found better amenities elsewhere.”
Methodology
The travelers’ version of the TripAdvisor 360° survey was conducted from Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2011 and was sent by email to a panel of U.S. travelers, resulting in 1,248 completed responses. The accommodations’ version of the survey was conducted from Oct. 13-31, 2011 and was sent by email to a random sample of U.S. accommodation owners and managers. This survey generated 622 completed responses.