Oracle Hospitality’s latest survey, “Creating the Coveted Hotel Guest Experience,” reflects the thoughts of more than 2,700 U.S. and European travelers, as well as the perspective of hoteliers to gauge how well they align with consumers’ expectations. Among the key findings:
Technology is critical for today’s traveler and they want more. Sixty-five percent of U.S. hotel guests said it is “very or extremely important” for hotels to continue investing in technology to enhance the guest experience.
Travelers are interested in technology that can customize hotel offerings. While hoteliers cited challenges with personalizing service without infringing on guest privacy, many guest-preferred services would not require sharing sensitive personal information. Forty-five percent of hotel guests want the capability to select specific room locations. Ninty-four percent of business travelers and 80 percent of leisure travelers expressed interest in using smartphones to request service and message hotel staff.
Hoteliers need to take a larger role in providing information that shapes both the on and off-premises guest experience. More than 60 percent of guests rely on non-hotel sources for in-destination queries, such as recommendations for activities and restaurant reservations, but hoteliers can leverage technology to provide the same information while driving guest engagement.
