NEW DELHI– Expedia, a full service online travel company, announced the results of the 2016 Hotel Etiquette Report, an analysis of behavior and preferences of Indians while booking hotels. The survey was conducted amongst the males and females of India and highlights interesting findings regarding their preferences while booking a hotel of their choice. The survey was conducted online in the month of August by GFK Custom Research, North America. The survey was conducted on 1,014 randomly selected adults.
“The Hotel Etiquette survey highlights some interesting facts about preferences of Indian travelers while booking a hotel. According to the survey, the most preferred medium of booking a hotel amongst 35% Indians is a desktop/laptop/computer followed by mobile app on smartphone/tablets used by 29% while 14% travelers book through mobile web using smartphone/tablets. It is interesting to note that 89% Indians consider hotel reviews as very/somewhat important while choosing a hotel. As Indian travelers are evolving, 77% consider the ability to earn and redeem reward points on their bookings as important,” said Manmeet Ahluwalia, Marketing Head, Expedia brand in India.
Obsessed with social media, 94% of Indians prefer a free Wi-Fi connection at a hotel, while 37% are unwilling to pay for the same, he added.
Some more interesting findings:
- For 75% Indians, In-room features such as Jacuzzi, tub or balcony are very important
- Location and Price are the most critical for 96%
- Family friends, food, beverages, room size important for 95 %
- Complimentary Wi-Fi would attract 93% Indians
- 92% would prefer eco-friendly hotel
- 89% feel that reviews are important before booking a hotel
- 88% feel big washrooms/toilets are very important
- Hotel Décor and parking options would attract 87% Indians
- Hotel brands and balcony would attract 86% Indians while 84% consider Star-rating
- Outdoor space/ grounds for 82% Indians
- Ability to earn and redeem reward points is an important factor for 77% Indians
- Swimming pool is important for 69% Indians while 64% also prefer gym facilities
- 96% Indians usually tip at a hotel
- 79% usually tip because of the room service
- 51 % tip after being impressed by the housekeeper
HL Group recently commissioned a survey to explore general hotel experiences and opinions about hotel etiquette in India. In August 2016, GfK Custom Research LLC (GfK) administered the survey online to a representative sample of 1,014 randomly selected adults. The majority of the questions in the survey were answered by 896 adults within the sample who have stayed overnight in a hotel in the past two years. The data were statistically weighted so that respondents in the survey were demographically and geographically representative of the population of India.
