UK hotels could boost relationships with business and leisure guests by providing more local information and travel tips prior to their stay, according to two new studies.
A TripAdvisor study found that most UK hoteliers are not capitalising on the excitement that travellers feel when they first book a holiday trip, while research from Jury’s Inn found that most business travellers want to know more about the cities they are visiting.
Capitalising on excitement
TripAdvisor’s latest TripBarometer study focused on the psychology of travel, tracking guest emotions through each stage of travel: booking, arrival, during their stay, departure and back at home.
The study found that the primary emotion for more than half of travellers (54 per cent) when they book is one of excitement, and hotels which capitalise on this by providing local information at the time of booking have a much higher repeat guest rate.
However, only one in eight (12 per cent) of UK hoteliers said that providing guests with local information, or making them feel their holiday had already begun, was a priority at time of booking.
Furthermore, only 27 per cent of UK hotels said they provide any travel suggestions before arrival.
“The results of the TripBarometer highlight that hoteliers can stand out from the competition by providing unique and enriching experiences,” said Marc Charron, president, TripAdvisor for Business
“And while it's no surprise that travellers tend to be excited when they book and prepare for a trip, hoteliers are missing an opportunity to capitalise on that excitement and begin building a lasting relationship with their guests.
“Only a minority of hotels are currently making this a priority, but those who do also tend to receive more repeat guests.”
Other findings in the study included the fact that nine out of ten UK hoteliers said they wanted to provide guests with a sense of ‘harmony’, but this was rated as the lowest priority for gests, who were much more motivated by ‘enhancing perspective’ (71 per cent ) and ‘a feeling of liberation’ (62 per cent).
TripBarometer UK - Psychology of Travel trend study
Business city guides
Meanwhile, a separate study from Jurys Inn revealed that business travellers have an average of just 36 minutes to experience a city when they visit for work, and the majority (90 per cent) would like to know more about the city ahead of the trip to make the most of their limited time there.
In response, Jurys Inn has launched a series of 36 minute guides to key business travel cities, with advice from staff on the hidden gems to visit and enjoy in their precious free minutes.
“It’s a shame that business travellers get such a limited amount of time to really experience the cities they are visiting for work,” said Suzanne Cannon, Jurys Inn group marketing manager.
“With our hotels being ideally placed right in the heart of cities, we hope our 36 Minutes City guides will let business travellers make the most of their next stay at one of our city centre hotels.”
VIDEO: Jurys Inn Guide to Leeds