Phyllis Stoller, owner of the Women’s Travel Group in New York City, is happy that more hotels are ditching cliché Girlfriend Getaways and instead catering to avid women travelers and businesswomen, whose needs stretch well beyond complimentary cocktails.
“We’re not girls,” she says. “We would like to see more about the neighborhood around the hotel, so once we’re finished with work, we can walk around, go shopping, explore the area, get something to eat, meet other people. We want to feel safe and comfortable. That would entice us.”
Women represent the most important and fastest growing segment of the travel market, according to a 2011 CAP Strategic Research survey. With a rising number of females traveling alone or with all-female leisure groups, hotels continue to introduce tailored experiences and amenities that will attract and accommodate women like Stoller.
“Women are very particular. When it comes to travel, it’s no different,” says Kristine Rose, vice president of brand experience at Hyatt, which has seen a bump in its guest satisfaction scores since introducing its new Women’s Experience program this spring. “In the hotel industry, we’ve always had a desire to meet the needs of women travelers. We’ve found when we actually make women happy and comfortable then all of our guests are happy.”
Rose says the Women’s Experience program, which targets female business travelers, grew out of complaints Hyatt hotels and resorts received via social media about the quality of their complimentary shampoos and conditioners.
“We have so many more ways to hear all of the challenges our guests have, and that’s bubbling up new insights that we didn’t know were out there,” Rose says. “We’re taking advantage of that information.”
