Pan European survey of hoteliers
Business travellers most value free Internet and security from hotel properties
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Choice Hotels Europe, the company behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion
brands and one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors
in the world, revealed the findings of its pan-European survey into what
hoteliers believe are the hotel amenities most valued by European
business travellers.
Just under 100 hotel owners, operators and general managers from the UK,
France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the Czech Republic were asked
to rank what hotel amenities business travellers valued the most. Ninety
percent of respondents thought it was free wireless or internet
services, followed by 24 hour security and reception desk support (60%).
Just under half (49%) believed business travellers most valued a late
check-in or early check-out facility with 37% voting for travellers most
valuing an on-site hotel restaurant.
At the other end of the scale the amenities the hoteliers felt were less
valued included a business centre (33%) and Airport Transfer Service
(18%). The least valued amenity of all was a fitness centre with only
12% of respondents believing that travellers valued them.
Duncan Berry
, UK CEO, Choice Hotels Europe, commented:
“This survey shows the value European business travellers place on both
free internet access or Wifi as well as hotel security. Choice Hotels
brand properties have offered business travellers free internet access
since 2009 and we’ve known for a while how valued traveller security is
to travel managers, and unlike other chains, reception desks are staffed
at all times throughout our network of hotels.”
The Choice Hotels Europe portfolio of franchised hotels offers business
and leisure travellers a full spectrum from premium economy to luxury
hotels. Choice Hotels Europe franchises nearly 500 hotels across Europe
alone. Brands operated by Choice Hotels in Europe include Clarion,
described as four-star, Quality, which sits in the three-star bracket
and provides a mid-scale full service offering and Comfort, the largest
Choice Hotels brand worldwide, known for value and reliability.
