2014 Homewood Suites Work Styles Study August, 2014 Customer Insights.

2014 Homewood Suites Work Styles Study

August, 2014

Customer Insights

2© 2012 Hilton Worldwide Confidential & Proprietary

Methodology

The Homewood Suites brand team requested a survey of business travelers regarding basic travel preferences including hotel choice, dining and entertainment preferences while traveling on business

To this end, an online study was conducted from June 30 to July 9, 2014 using the Research Now online consumer panel.

• All survey respondents were business travelers with either 3 or more hotel stays or one hotel stay of 4 or more nights in the past 12 months.

• 559 business travelers completed the survey.• The sample is split 50/50 male/female.• The average respondent age is 41.3

© 2012 Hilton Worldwide Confidential & Proprietary 3

Executive Summary

The Hotel"Location” and “Price’ are the two most important factors in choosing a hotel among business travelers.

• However, loyalty program points and brand affiliation are also important for almost half of all business travelers.

• The most important amenities are Internet connectivity and a comfortable bed.

• Over half prefer hotels that showcase local artwork and guestrooms with locally-inspired designs.

– Business travelers spend about a third of their time in the hotel.

– Business travelers eat two-thirds of their meals outside of the hotel. Their top favorite cities for local cuisine are New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco and New York .

• While 75% or more often or always eat lunch and dinner outside of the hotel, over half tend to eat breakfast in the hotel.

• When they do eat at the hotel, most prefer to have their meals in the hotel’s restaurant.

Leisure Activities while Traveling for BusinessWhen it’s time to relax on a business trip, over half (55%) of business travelers prefer to explore the local entertainment scene rather than relax in the hotel with in-room entertainment (45%).

• One in four business travelers frequently combined business with leisure travel.

• One in six are “very” likely to extend business trips in order to enjoy local activities.

• Activities/Attractions they are most likely to experience while on a business trip are Dining (45%), Sport-related events (18%) and Museums/Art galleries (17%).

• They are most likely to rely on social media (75%) and online research (68%) to find information about local activities. However, nearly half continue to rely on colleagues and friends/family for information.


Most Important Criteria in Choosing a Hotel for Business

Most Important Factors in Choosing a Hotel for Business TravelMost Important Factors in Choosing a Hotel for Business Travel

Questions:Q3. How do you choose a hotel when traveling fro business?Q5. I view my hotel during my business trip asQ6. On average, what percentage of your time do you spend in your hotel during a business trip?

“Location” and “Price” are the two most important factors in choosing a hotel among business travelers. However, loyalty program points and brand affiliation are also important for almost half of all business travelers.

Business travelers vary in how they view the hotel while on business.• On average, they spend about a third of their time in the hotel. • One in four frequently combined business with leisure travel.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70% 66%

56%

47% 47%

23% 22%

14%

I view my hotel during my

business trip as:

25%

25%24%

26%

1 Ground zero for everything I do (eat, work, socialize)2 A place just to sleep and shower3 Somewhere that helps me keep some sense of routine when I am on the road4 It depends on where I am staying

Average % of time spent in hotel room during

business trips

34%


Hotel Amenities

Very Important Amenities to Maintain a Sense of Routine and Feelings of HomeVery Important Amenities to Maintain a Sense of Routine and Feelings of Home

Question: When staying a minimum of three nights, please rate the importance of each of the following room amenities/features to

maintaining a sense of routine and feeling of home in your hotel room.

The basics are most important to business travelers in maintaining a sense of routine and feelings of home. The most important amenities are Internet Connectivity and Bed/Pillows. In a testament to the age that we live, the Internet is just as important as a comfortable bed.

Minibar

Robe/Slippers

Kitchen

Lounge Area

Closets/Storage

In-Room Coffee

Work Area

Bath Amenities

Lighting

TV/Entertainment

Towels

Bed/Pillow

Internet Connectivity

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

6%

9%

12%

19%

26%

32%

37%

49%

50%

53%

63%

80%

87%

Very Important (%5)


Guest Room Decor

QuestionsQ19. When it comes to hotel and room décor, do you prefer?Q20. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “I appreciate hotels that feature local artwork”? Q21. . How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “In my room, I like items that have local relevance (books, accessories, etc.)?

Room Décor Preference Room Décor Preference

Business travelers are splits on room décor. Slightly over half prefer a locally-inspired design, however, a larger proportion also

prefer a neutral furnishings.

Those who prefer a locally inspired design are also tend to feel strongly in favor of hotels that features local artwork and items with local relevance in the guest room.

Locally-inspired design/furniture

56%

A neutral aes-thetic 44%

Local Artwork in Hotel Local Relevance in Guestroom

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

26% 33%

44% 37%

28% 29%

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Indifferent

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Room Décor Preference Room Décor Preference


Where are business travelers eating their meals?

How often do you have the following meals outside of the hotel?How often do you have the following meals outside of the hotel?

Business travelers eat two-thirds of their meals outside of the hotel. • Lunch is most likely to be eaten outside of the hotel; over half always eat lunch outside of the

hotel.• Breakfast is least likely to be eaten outside of the hotel; over half seldom or never eat breakfast

outside of the hotel.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

10%

53%43%

10%

27%32%

27%

13% 18%

40%

5% 5%13%3% 2%

Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never

Percentage of meals eaten outside of hotel

67%

How Important is trying well-known local food/restaurants?How Important is trying well-known local food/restaurants?

Importance of...0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

3%

18%

48%

29% Very Important

Somewhat Important

Indifferent

Somewhat Unimportant

Not at all Important

Forty percent of business travelers listed only four cities as their favorites for local cuisine.

Questions:Q7. On average, what percentage of meals on a business trip do you eat outside of your hotel?Q9. When traveling for business, how often do you have the following meals outside of the hotel?Q10. How important is trying well-known local food/restaurants to you during a business trip?Q11. What is your favorite city for eating local cuisine?

New Orleans 11%

Chicago 10%

San Francisco 10%

New York 10%

Click for full list of cities

Favorite Cities for Local Cruisine


Where do business travelers prefer to have their meals when dining in the hotel?

When business travelers dine on-property, most prefer to eat in the hotel restaurant for all meals.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

70% 66% 64%

17%8% 13%

12%

12% 8%

2%

14% 16%

In the restaurant Order room service Prepare In Room (if kitchen is available)

Call for Take-out

Where do you prefer to dine when eating at the hotel?Where do you prefer to dine when eating at the hotel?

Question:Q8. Typically, when staying in to eat at the hotel while traveling for business, where to you prefer to eat?

9

Types of ActivitiesTypes of Activities

© 2012 Hilton Worldwide Confidential & Proprietary

Leisure Activities while traveling on Business

Likelihood of Leisure Activities while on a Business TripLikelihood of Leisure Activities while on a Business Trip

Activities/attractions most likely to experience during a business trip

Dining 46%

Sports related 18%

Museum/Art Gallery 17%

Park 7%

Musical Performance 7%

Other 5%

When it’s time to relax on a business trip, over half (55%) of business travelers prefer to explore the local entertainment scene rather than relax in the hotel with in-room entertainment (45%).

One in four business travelers frequently combined business with leisure travel.• In fact, seventeen percent of business travelers are “very likely” to extend a business trip in order to enjoy local activities unique

to a specific location.• Even if business travelers do not extend the trip, almost half (47%) still make time to for local activities.

Nev

er 8

%

Seldom 20%Sometimes 45%

Often 18% Alw

ays

8%I combine

business and leisure on the

same trip:

Very unlikely 11%

Somewhat unlikely

15%

Unsure 12%

Somewhat Likely 45%

Very likely 17%

Extend business trips to enjoy local activities

Information Sources for Local Attractions

Social Media 75%

Online Research 68%

Colleagues/Business Associates 47%

Family/Friends 46%

Business events 22%

Other Guests 15%

Questions:Q4. Do you combine business and leisure travel on the same trip?Q12. How likely are you to extend a business trip to enjoy activities unique to that particular destination?Q13. How often do you make time on a business trip for an activity that is unique to that location. Q14. What destination specific activity/attraction are you most likely to experience during a business trip?Q15. When travelling for business, how do you learn about local attractions to visit. Q17. When it’s time to relax on a business trip, do you prefer to?

10

Modes of Transportation while on a Business Trip Modes of Transportation while on a Business Trip

© 2012 Hilton Worldwide Confidential & Proprietary

Exercise and Getting Around Town

Exercise while on a Business TripExercise while on a Business Trip

Most common transportation methods

Rental Car 61%

Walk 55%

Taxi 42%

Hotel Shuttle 36%

Subway/Train 29%

Bus 11%

Business travelers prefer to stay in the hotel, either in the hotel fitness center or in their guest room, for any exercise that they get while traveling.

Rental cars and walking the most commonly used method for transportation while on a business trip.

Questions:Q16. For exercise on a business trip, do you typically?Q18. Which of the following transportation methods do you normally utilize during a business trip? (Please check all that apply).

Stay at your hotel 46%

Get out and explore

(running, etc.) 30%

I don’t ex-ercise when I travel 24%

2014 Homewood Suites Work Styles Study August, 2014 Customer Insights.

Documents

Transcript of 2014 Homewood Suites Work Styles Study August, 2014 Customer Insights.