Women Business Travelers

20
Cornell Hospitality Report Vol. 11, No. 12, June 2011 Creating Value for Women Business Travelers: Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

description

Creating Value for Women Business Travelers: Focusing on Emotional OutcomesGiven the dramatic increase in women business travelers, addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies. While previousresearch has attempted to identify the specific items or features which women travelerswant from their hotel stay, this report suggests a more holistic approach to capturing thismarket segment. Rather than emphasize the importance of specific items that fluctuate from one surveyto the next, this study instead suggests that managers focus on how combinations of services, amenities,and facilities contribute to the desired affective responses sought by women business travelers. Basedon a review of the literature on gender and emotion, a model is presented that emphasizes the flexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property. Aconvenience survey of hotel managers’ perceptions of women’s preferences shows that women aredeveloping a clear and consistent message about the need to feel safe, comfortable, empowered, andpampered. Guided by these themes, hotel managers are in an excellent position to go beyond a focuson individual attributes and amenities to provide an experience that exceeds the expectations of thisdynamic and growing market segment.

Transcript of Women Business Travelers

Page 1: Women Business Travelers

Cornell Hospitality ReportVol 11 No 12 June 2011

Creating Value for Women Business Travelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

Advisory Board

The Robert A and Jan M Beck Center at Cornell University

Cornell Hospitality Reports Vol 11 No 12 (June 2011)

copy 2011 Cornell University

Cornell Hospitality Report is produced for the benefit of the hospitality industry by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University

Rohit Verma Executive DirectorJennifer Macera Associate DirectorGlenn Withiam Director of Publications

Center for Hospitality ResearchCornell University School of Hotel Administration489 Statler HallIthaca NY 14853

Phone 607-255-9780Fax 607-254-2922wwwchrcornelledu

Back cover photo by permission of The Cornellian and Jeff Wang

Niklas Andreacuteen Group Vice President Global Hospitality amp Partner Marketing Travelport GDS

Rarsquoanan Ben-Zur Chief Executive Officer French Quarter Holdings Inc

Scott Berman Principal Real Estate Business Advisory Services Industry Leader Hospitality amp Leisure PricewaterhouseCoopers

Raymond Bickson Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Taj Group of Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Stephen C Brandman Co-Owner Thompson Hotels IncRaj Chandnani Vice President Director of Strategy WATGBenjamin J ldquoPatrickrdquo Denihan Chief Executive Officer

Denihan Hospitality GroupBrian Ferguson Vice President Supply Strategy and Analysis

Expedia North AmericaChuck Floyd Chief Operating OfficerndashNorth America

HyattGregg Gilman Partner Co-Chair Employment Practices

Davis amp Gilbert LLP

Tim Gordon Senior Vice President Hotels pricelinecomSusan Helstab EVP Corporate Marketing

Four Seasons Hotels and ResortsJeffrey A Horwitz Chair Lodging + Gaming and Co-Head

Mergers + Acquisitions ProskauerKevin J Jacobs Senior Vice President Corporate Strategy amp

Treasurer Hilton WorldwideKenneth Kahn PresidentOwner LRP PublicationsKirk Kinsell President of Europe Middle East and Africa

InterContinental Hotels GroupRadhika Kulkarni PhD VP of Advanced Analytics RampD

SAS InstituteGerald Lawless Executive Chairman Jumeirah GroupMark V Lomanno CEO Smith Travel ResearchBetsy MacDonald Managing Director HVS Global Hospitality

ServicesDavid Meltzer Senior Vice President Global Business

Development Sabre Hospitality SolutionsWilliam F Minnock III Senior Vice President Global

Operations Deployment and Program Management Marriott International Inc

Mike Montanari VP Strategic Accounts Sales - Sales Management Schneider Electric North America

Shane OrsquoFlaherty President and CEO Forbes Travel GuideThomas Parham Senior Vice President and General Manager

Philips Hospitality AmericasChris Proulx CEO eCornell amp Executive EducationCarolyn D Richmond Partner Hospitality Practice Fox

Rothschild LLPSteve Russell Chief People Officer Senior VP Human

Resources McDonaldrsquos USAMichele Sarkisian Senior Vice President MaritzJanice L Schnabel Managing Director and Gaming Practice

Leader Marshrsquos Hospitality and Gaming PracticeTrip Schneck President and Co-Founder TIG Global LLCAdam Weissenberg Vice Chairman and US Tourism

Hospitality amp Leisure Leader Deloitte amp Touche USA LLP

FriendsAmerican Tescor LLC bull Argyle Executive Forum bull Berkshire Healthcare bull Center for Advanced Retail Technology bull Cody Kramer Imports bull Cruise Industry News bull DK Shifflet amp Associates bull ehoteliercom bull EyeforTravel bull 4Hotelierscom bull Gerencia de Hoteles amp Restaurantes bull Global Hospitality Resources bull Hospitality Financial and Technological Professionals bull hospitalityInsidecom bull hospitalitynetorg bull Hospitality Technology Magazine bull Hotel Asia Pacific bull Hotel China bull HotelExecutivecom bull Hotel Interactive bull Hotel Resource bull International CHRIE bull International Hotel Conference bull International Society of Hospitality Consultants bull iPerceptions bull JDA Software Group Inc bull JD Power and Associates bull The Lodging Conference bull Lodging Hospitality bull Lodging Magazine bull LRA Worldwide Inc bull Milestone Internet Marketing bull MindFolio bull Mindshare Technologies bull PhoCusWright Inc bull PKF Hospitality Research bull Resort and Recreation Magazine bull The Resort Trades bull RestaurantEdgecom bull Shibata Publishing Co bull Synovate bull The TravelCom Network bull Travel + Hospitality Group bull UniFocus bull USA Today bull WageWatch Inc bull The Wall Street Journal bull WIWIHCOM bull Wyndham Green

Thank you to our generous Corporate Members

PartnersDavis amp Gilbert LLP Deloitte amp Touche USA LLPDenihan Hospitality GroupeCornell amp Executive EducationExpedia Inc Forbes Travel GuideFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts Fox Rothschild LLP French Quarter Holdings Inc HVS Hyatt InterContinental Hotels Group Jumeirah GroupLRP PublicationsMarriott International IncMarshrsquos Hospitality Practice MaritzpricelinecomPricewaterhouseCoopersProskauer Sabre Hospitality Solutions Schneider Electric Thayer Lodging Group Thompson HotelsTravelportWATG

Senior PartnersASAE FoundationCarlson HotelsHilton WorldwideMcDonaldrsquos USAPhilips HospitalitySASSTRTaj Hotels Resorts and PalacesTIG Global

4 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

AbouT The AuThor

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

Judi brownell PhD is professor of organizational communication and dean of students at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration She has international teaching experience and her on-line eCornell executive courses are taken worldwide Brownellrsquos research projects include studies on managerial listening behavior and the competencies required for global hospitality leaders She has created tools to assess employee-organization fit and the communication of service values Her current research focuses on listening as it relates to communicating and maintaining service quality standards in the international cruise industry Brownell has written several textbooks published over 80 articles and serves on several editorial boards She is also past president of the International Listening Association and has received awards for her research in this field Brownell has conducted training and consulting for a wide range of hospitality organizations Among her projects she has designed assessment centers for hospitality leadership development A seasoned administrator Brownell has served as the schoolrsquos associate dean for academic affairs and as its director for graduate studies She has also been academic area director for both the organization behavior and

management communication disciplinesBrownell offers special thanks and acknowledgment to two women who shared their ideas and inspired her through their commitment to making travel a positive and productive experience for business women Cary Broussard author of From Cinderella to CEO and president Broussard Communications and Leslie Grossman co-founder Womenrsquos Leadership Exchange and author of SELLsation She also wishes to acknowledge Rebecca Daniel for her administrative assistance on this study

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 5

exeCuTive SuMMAry

Given the dramatic increase in women business travelers addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies While previousresearchhasattemptedtoidentifythespecificitemsorfeatureswhichwomentravelerswantfromtheirhotelstaythisreportsuggestsamoreholisticapproachtocapturingthis

marketsegmentRatherthanemphasizetheimportanceofspecificitemsthatfluctuatefromonesurveytothenextthisstudyinsteadsuggeststhatmanagersfocusonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfacilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveresponsessoughtbywomenbusinesstravelersBasedonareviewoftheliteratureongenderandemotionamodelispresentedthatemphasizestheflexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property Aconvenience survey of hotel managersrsquo perceptions of womenrsquos preferences shows that women aredevelopingaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempoweredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanagersareinanexcellentpositiontogobeyondafocusonindividualattributesandamenitiestoprovideanexperiencethatexceedstheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketsegment

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

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Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 2: Women Business Travelers

Advisory Board

The Robert A and Jan M Beck Center at Cornell University

Cornell Hospitality Reports Vol 11 No 12 (June 2011)

copy 2011 Cornell University

Cornell Hospitality Report is produced for the benefit of the hospitality industry by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University

Rohit Verma Executive DirectorJennifer Macera Associate DirectorGlenn Withiam Director of Publications

Center for Hospitality ResearchCornell University School of Hotel Administration489 Statler HallIthaca NY 14853

Phone 607-255-9780Fax 607-254-2922wwwchrcornelledu

Back cover photo by permission of The Cornellian and Jeff Wang

Niklas Andreacuteen Group Vice President Global Hospitality amp Partner Marketing Travelport GDS

Rarsquoanan Ben-Zur Chief Executive Officer French Quarter Holdings Inc

Scott Berman Principal Real Estate Business Advisory Services Industry Leader Hospitality amp Leisure PricewaterhouseCoopers

Raymond Bickson Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Taj Group of Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Stephen C Brandman Co-Owner Thompson Hotels IncRaj Chandnani Vice President Director of Strategy WATGBenjamin J ldquoPatrickrdquo Denihan Chief Executive Officer

Denihan Hospitality GroupBrian Ferguson Vice President Supply Strategy and Analysis

Expedia North AmericaChuck Floyd Chief Operating OfficerndashNorth America

HyattGregg Gilman Partner Co-Chair Employment Practices

Davis amp Gilbert LLP

Tim Gordon Senior Vice President Hotels pricelinecomSusan Helstab EVP Corporate Marketing

Four Seasons Hotels and ResortsJeffrey A Horwitz Chair Lodging + Gaming and Co-Head

Mergers + Acquisitions ProskauerKevin J Jacobs Senior Vice President Corporate Strategy amp

Treasurer Hilton WorldwideKenneth Kahn PresidentOwner LRP PublicationsKirk Kinsell President of Europe Middle East and Africa

InterContinental Hotels GroupRadhika Kulkarni PhD VP of Advanced Analytics RampD

SAS InstituteGerald Lawless Executive Chairman Jumeirah GroupMark V Lomanno CEO Smith Travel ResearchBetsy MacDonald Managing Director HVS Global Hospitality

ServicesDavid Meltzer Senior Vice President Global Business

Development Sabre Hospitality SolutionsWilliam F Minnock III Senior Vice President Global

Operations Deployment and Program Management Marriott International Inc

Mike Montanari VP Strategic Accounts Sales - Sales Management Schneider Electric North America

Shane OrsquoFlaherty President and CEO Forbes Travel GuideThomas Parham Senior Vice President and General Manager

Philips Hospitality AmericasChris Proulx CEO eCornell amp Executive EducationCarolyn D Richmond Partner Hospitality Practice Fox

Rothschild LLPSteve Russell Chief People Officer Senior VP Human

Resources McDonaldrsquos USAMichele Sarkisian Senior Vice President MaritzJanice L Schnabel Managing Director and Gaming Practice

Leader Marshrsquos Hospitality and Gaming PracticeTrip Schneck President and Co-Founder TIG Global LLCAdam Weissenberg Vice Chairman and US Tourism

Hospitality amp Leisure Leader Deloitte amp Touche USA LLP

FriendsAmerican Tescor LLC bull Argyle Executive Forum bull Berkshire Healthcare bull Center for Advanced Retail Technology bull Cody Kramer Imports bull Cruise Industry News bull DK Shifflet amp Associates bull ehoteliercom bull EyeforTravel bull 4Hotelierscom bull Gerencia de Hoteles amp Restaurantes bull Global Hospitality Resources bull Hospitality Financial and Technological Professionals bull hospitalityInsidecom bull hospitalitynetorg bull Hospitality Technology Magazine bull Hotel Asia Pacific bull Hotel China bull HotelExecutivecom bull Hotel Interactive bull Hotel Resource bull International CHRIE bull International Hotel Conference bull International Society of Hospitality Consultants bull iPerceptions bull JDA Software Group Inc bull JD Power and Associates bull The Lodging Conference bull Lodging Hospitality bull Lodging Magazine bull LRA Worldwide Inc bull Milestone Internet Marketing bull MindFolio bull Mindshare Technologies bull PhoCusWright Inc bull PKF Hospitality Research bull Resort and Recreation Magazine bull The Resort Trades bull RestaurantEdgecom bull Shibata Publishing Co bull Synovate bull The TravelCom Network bull Travel + Hospitality Group bull UniFocus bull USA Today bull WageWatch Inc bull The Wall Street Journal bull WIWIHCOM bull Wyndham Green

Thank you to our generous Corporate Members

PartnersDavis amp Gilbert LLP Deloitte amp Touche USA LLPDenihan Hospitality GroupeCornell amp Executive EducationExpedia Inc Forbes Travel GuideFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts Fox Rothschild LLP French Quarter Holdings Inc HVS Hyatt InterContinental Hotels Group Jumeirah GroupLRP PublicationsMarriott International IncMarshrsquos Hospitality Practice MaritzpricelinecomPricewaterhouseCoopersProskauer Sabre Hospitality Solutions Schneider Electric Thayer Lodging Group Thompson HotelsTravelportWATG

Senior PartnersASAE FoundationCarlson HotelsHilton WorldwideMcDonaldrsquos USAPhilips HospitalitySASSTRTaj Hotels Resorts and PalacesTIG Global

4 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

AbouT The AuThor

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

Judi brownell PhD is professor of organizational communication and dean of students at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration She has international teaching experience and her on-line eCornell executive courses are taken worldwide Brownellrsquos research projects include studies on managerial listening behavior and the competencies required for global hospitality leaders She has created tools to assess employee-organization fit and the communication of service values Her current research focuses on listening as it relates to communicating and maintaining service quality standards in the international cruise industry Brownell has written several textbooks published over 80 articles and serves on several editorial boards She is also past president of the International Listening Association and has received awards for her research in this field Brownell has conducted training and consulting for a wide range of hospitality organizations Among her projects she has designed assessment centers for hospitality leadership development A seasoned administrator Brownell has served as the schoolrsquos associate dean for academic affairs and as its director for graduate studies She has also been academic area director for both the organization behavior and

management communication disciplinesBrownell offers special thanks and acknowledgment to two women who shared their ideas and inspired her through their commitment to making travel a positive and productive experience for business women Cary Broussard author of From Cinderella to CEO and president Broussard Communications and Leslie Grossman co-founder Womenrsquos Leadership Exchange and author of SELLsation She also wishes to acknowledge Rebecca Daniel for her administrative assistance on this study

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 5

exeCuTive SuMMAry

Given the dramatic increase in women business travelers addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies While previousresearchhasattemptedtoidentifythespecificitemsorfeatureswhichwomentravelerswantfromtheirhotelstaythisreportsuggestsamoreholisticapproachtocapturingthis

marketsegmentRatherthanemphasizetheimportanceofspecificitemsthatfluctuatefromonesurveytothenextthisstudyinsteadsuggeststhatmanagersfocusonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfacilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveresponsessoughtbywomenbusinesstravelersBasedonareviewoftheliteratureongenderandemotionamodelispresentedthatemphasizestheflexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property Aconvenience survey of hotel managersrsquo perceptions of womenrsquos preferences shows that women aredevelopingaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempoweredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanagersareinanexcellentpositiontogobeyondafocusonindividualattributesandamenitiestoprovideanexperiencethatexceedstheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketsegment

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

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Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 3: Women Business Travelers

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Thank you to our generous Corporate Members

PartnersDavis amp Gilbert LLP Deloitte amp Touche USA LLPDenihan Hospitality GroupeCornell amp Executive EducationExpedia Inc Forbes Travel GuideFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts Fox Rothschild LLP French Quarter Holdings Inc HVS Hyatt InterContinental Hotels Group Jumeirah GroupLRP PublicationsMarriott International IncMarshrsquos Hospitality Practice MaritzpricelinecomPricewaterhouseCoopersProskauer Sabre Hospitality Solutions Schneider Electric Thayer Lodging Group Thompson HotelsTravelportWATG

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4 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

AbouT The AuThor

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

Judi brownell PhD is professor of organizational communication and dean of students at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration She has international teaching experience and her on-line eCornell executive courses are taken worldwide Brownellrsquos research projects include studies on managerial listening behavior and the competencies required for global hospitality leaders She has created tools to assess employee-organization fit and the communication of service values Her current research focuses on listening as it relates to communicating and maintaining service quality standards in the international cruise industry Brownell has written several textbooks published over 80 articles and serves on several editorial boards She is also past president of the International Listening Association and has received awards for her research in this field Brownell has conducted training and consulting for a wide range of hospitality organizations Among her projects she has designed assessment centers for hospitality leadership development A seasoned administrator Brownell has served as the schoolrsquos associate dean for academic affairs and as its director for graduate studies She has also been academic area director for both the organization behavior and

management communication disciplinesBrownell offers special thanks and acknowledgment to two women who shared their ideas and inspired her through their commitment to making travel a positive and productive experience for business women Cary Broussard author of From Cinderella to CEO and president Broussard Communications and Leslie Grossman co-founder Womenrsquos Leadership Exchange and author of SELLsation She also wishes to acknowledge Rebecca Daniel for her administrative assistance on this study

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 5

exeCuTive SuMMAry

Given the dramatic increase in women business travelers addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies While previousresearchhasattemptedtoidentifythespecificitemsorfeatureswhichwomentravelerswantfromtheirhotelstaythisreportsuggestsamoreholisticapproachtocapturingthis

marketsegmentRatherthanemphasizetheimportanceofspecificitemsthatfluctuatefromonesurveytothenextthisstudyinsteadsuggeststhatmanagersfocusonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfacilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveresponsessoughtbywomenbusinesstravelersBasedonareviewoftheliteratureongenderandemotionamodelispresentedthatemphasizestheflexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property Aconvenience survey of hotel managersrsquo perceptions of womenrsquos preferences shows that women aredevelopingaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempoweredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanagersareinanexcellentpositiontogobeyondafocusonindividualattributesandamenitiestoprovideanexperiencethatexceedstheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketsegment

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

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Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

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Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 4: Women Business Travelers

4 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

AbouT The AuThor

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

Judi brownell PhD is professor of organizational communication and dean of students at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration She has international teaching experience and her on-line eCornell executive courses are taken worldwide Brownellrsquos research projects include studies on managerial listening behavior and the competencies required for global hospitality leaders She has created tools to assess employee-organization fit and the communication of service values Her current research focuses on listening as it relates to communicating and maintaining service quality standards in the international cruise industry Brownell has written several textbooks published over 80 articles and serves on several editorial boards She is also past president of the International Listening Association and has received awards for her research in this field Brownell has conducted training and consulting for a wide range of hospitality organizations Among her projects she has designed assessment centers for hospitality leadership development A seasoned administrator Brownell has served as the schoolrsquos associate dean for academic affairs and as its director for graduate studies She has also been academic area director for both the organization behavior and

management communication disciplinesBrownell offers special thanks and acknowledgment to two women who shared their ideas and inspired her through their commitment to making travel a positive and productive experience for business women Cary Broussard author of From Cinderella to CEO and president Broussard Communications and Leslie Grossman co-founder Womenrsquos Leadership Exchange and author of SELLsation She also wishes to acknowledge Rebecca Daniel for her administrative assistance on this study

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 5

exeCuTive SuMMAry

Given the dramatic increase in women business travelers addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies While previousresearchhasattemptedtoidentifythespecificitemsorfeatureswhichwomentravelerswantfromtheirhotelstaythisreportsuggestsamoreholisticapproachtocapturingthis

marketsegmentRatherthanemphasizetheimportanceofspecificitemsthatfluctuatefromonesurveytothenextthisstudyinsteadsuggeststhatmanagersfocusonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfacilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveresponsessoughtbywomenbusinesstravelersBasedonareviewoftheliteratureongenderandemotionamodelispresentedthatemphasizestheflexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property Aconvenience survey of hotel managersrsquo perceptions of womenrsquos preferences shows that women aredevelopingaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempoweredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanagersareinanexcellentpositiontogobeyondafocusonindividualattributesandamenitiestoprovideanexperiencethatexceedstheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketsegment

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

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Page 5: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 5

exeCuTive SuMMAry

Given the dramatic increase in women business travelers addressing the needs of thismarket segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies While previousresearchhasattemptedtoidentifythespecificitemsorfeatureswhichwomentravelerswantfromtheirhotelstaythisreportsuggestsamoreholisticapproachtocapturingthis

marketsegmentRatherthanemphasizetheimportanceofspecificitemsthatfluctuatefromonesurveytothenextthisstudyinsteadsuggeststhatmanagersfocusonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfacilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveresponsessoughtbywomenbusinesstravelersBasedonareviewoftheliteratureongenderandemotionamodelispresentedthatemphasizestheflexibilitymanagers have to accommodate women travelers within the context of a particular property Aconvenience survey of hotel managersrsquo perceptions of womenrsquos preferences shows that women aredevelopingaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempoweredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanagersareinanexcellentpositiontogobeyondafocusonindividualattributesandamenitiestoprovideanexperiencethatexceedstheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketsegment

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

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Page 6: Women Business Travelers

6 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell hoSpiTAliTy reporT

Whenitcomestobusinesstravelwomenhavebeenldquoontheirwayrdquoforquitesometimenow1Anearlyreferencetowomentravelersappearedin1973intheCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and by 1979 the Quarterlyreportedonaconferencethataddressedtheneedsofldquotheprofessionalwomen

travelerrdquo2 At that event United Airlines reported that women business travelers accounted for 16percentofitsbusinessanincreasefromaninfinitesimalfigureatthebeginningofthatdecadeTheconferencesoughttoidentifywomentravelersrsquodistinctiveneedsaquestthehospitalityindustryhasnowbeenfollowingforsomefourdecadesIna1983articleurgingscientificmarketresearchRobertLewisobservedthathotelchainsrsquoeffortstoattractwomenincludedtheadditionofskirthangersandwomen-onlyfloors3

1SKhanldquoAimingtoPleaseWomenBusinessTravelIndustryIntroducesMoreServicesforFemaleCustomersrdquoUSA TodayJune101999p01BandGlennWithiamldquoWyndhamFocusonWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Vol40No3p92CHRAQNewsandViewsldquoTravelResearchAssociationrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4p5ldquoWomenBusi-nessTravelersSatisfyingtheNeedsofaGrowingNewMarketrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol19No4(February1979)pp67ff3RobertCLewisldquoGettingtheMostfromMarketingResearchPart1rdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol24No3(Novem-ber1983)p83

CreatingValueforWomenBusinessTravelers

Focusing on Emotional Outcomes

byJudiBrownell

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

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Page 7: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 7

InamorerecentexampleWyndhampioneereditsprogramsandresourcesforwomenbusinesstravelersin1995andjustoverfifteenyearslaterstatisticsindicatethatnearlyhalfofallbusinesstravelersarewomenThatnumberisprojectedtoincreasethroughoutthedecadesahead4Ashospitalityorganizationsconfirmthesignificantimpactthisexpandingmarkethasontheirbottomlineincreasedatten-tionisbeingplacedongainingabetterunderstandingofwhatwomenwantfromtheirbusinesstravelexperiencesInthisreportIfocusonhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsofhowbesttosatisfythismarketsegmentthroughanintegratedlensoftrav-elersrsquoemotionalresponsestothehotelrsquosfacilitiesandservices

Althoughsomemayarguethatmenandwomenwantessentiallythesamethingsfromtheirhotelexperience(andtheydohavemanyneedsincommon)recentresearchsug-gestssubstantialdifferencesinmanyareasmostparticularlythoserelatingtoemotions5Whiletraditionalsatisfactionmodelshavetendedtofocusonguestsrsquocognitiveevaluationsoftheirtravelexperienceweknowthatemotionsalsohaveasignificanteffectonguestsatisfaction6Hospitalitycompaniesseekingtoachieveacompetitiveadvantageincreasinglystrivetocreateaguestexperiencethatelicitspositiveemotionalresponsesattendingtotheaffectivecomponentsofthecus-tomerrsquosexperiencehasrepeatedlyproventobegoodforboththeguestandforbusiness7

Whilegenderisincreasinglybeingconsideredasavari-ableinattractingthebusinesstravelmarketrelativelylittleresearchhasfocusedondistinguishinggenderpreferencesonthebasisofaffectiveresponsestothehotelexperienceThisshouldbeafruitfulapproachasresearchmakesclearthatwomenhavestrongeremotionalpersonalresponsestotheir

4MartiBarlettaMarketing to Women How to Increase Your Share of the Worldrsquos Largest Market(ChicagoILDearbornTradePublishing2006)andUSTravelAssociationldquoUSTravelForecastsrdquohttpwwwustravelorgsitesdefaultfilespage200909ForecastSummarypdfasviewedonJanuary2120115FrancineNewthldquoTheNewStrategicImperativeUnderstandingtheFemaleBusinessTravelerrdquoInternational Business amp Economics Research JournalVol8No11(2009)pp51-64andWayneWSmithandBarbaraACarmichaelldquoDomesticBusinessTravelinCanadawithaFocusontheFemaleMarketrdquoJournal of Travel and Tourism MarketingVol21No1(2006)pp65-766HeesupHanandKi-JoonBackldquoAssessingCustomersrsquoEmotionalExperi-encesInfluencingTheirSatisfactionintheLodgingIndustryrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol23No1(2007)pp43-56andMichaelDJohnsonLineLervikOlsenandTorWallinAndreassenldquoJoyandDisappointmentintheHotelExperienceManagingRelationshipSegmentsrdquoManaging Service QualityVol19No1(2009)pp4-307AlexandraCoghlanandPhilipPearceldquoTrackingAffectiveComponentsofSatisfactionrdquoTourism and Hospitality ResearchVol10No1(2010)pp42-58andMadeleineEPullmanandMichaelAGrossldquoAbilityofExperi-enceDesignElementstoElicitEmotionsrdquoDecision SciencesVol35No3(2004)pp551-578

experiencesthandomen8Thisfindingsuggeststhatcreat-ingahotelexperiencewiththegoalofelicitingpositiveaffectislikelytohaveaparticularlysignificantimpactonwomentravelersHotelmanagerscanthencreateenviron-mentssuitedtothespecificopportunitiesandconstraintsoftheirparticularpropertybymatchingclustersofservicesamenitiesandfacilitieswithdesiredaffectiveoutcomes

Therersquoslittlequestionofhowimportantwomenbusi-nesstravelersaretothehospitalityindustryingeneralandtohotelcompaniesinparticularLetrsquosusethatasastartingpointforthisreportandthenlookattheimportanceofaf-fectanditslinktoguestsatisfactionIreviewtheliteratureongenderandemotiontoestablishtheimportanceofaffectinwomenrsquosdecision-makingprocessesandexplainwhyhoteliersshouldidentifyandaddresswomenbusinesstravelersasadistinctivemarketsegmentThenIproposeamodelthathighlightsthewaysinwhichhotelsmightcreatemorepositivetravelexperiencesforwomenandanalyzetheitemswhichwomenbusinesstravelershaveidentifiedasimportanttotheirsatisfactionintermsoftheaffectivestatestheyelicitFinallyIpresentaconveniencesurveyofhotelmanagersthatassessestheirperceptionsofwomenrsquospreferencesasastartingpointforthoseinterestedinattractingthisparticularmarketInparticularIconsiderthedegreeofalignmentbetweenwhatwomenbusinesstravelershavereportedasimportanttothemandwhatho-telmanagersviewasbestpracticesTheimplicationsofthisstudyarethatmanagersshouldfocusonhowbesttogener-atekeyemotionalresponsesthroughaholisticapproachratherthanseekingtoidentifyanyonespecificserviceamenityorfacilitythatallwomenbusinesstravelersprefer

WomenBusinessTravelersAStrongandGrowingMarketAswomeninallbusinessesmoveupthecareerladdertheyaretravelingmorefrequentlyandwomenhavebecomethefastestgrowingsegmentofbusinesstravelersintheUnitedStates9In2010womenaccountedfornearlyhalfofall

8MartaSinclairNealMAshkanasyandPrithvirajChattopadhyayldquoAffectiveAntecedentsofIntuitiveDecisionMakingrdquoJournal of Man-agement and OrganizationVol16No3(2010)pp382-398PeterCVerhoefKatherineNLemonAParasuramanAnneRoggeveenMichaelTsirosandLeonardASchlesingerldquoCustomerExperienceCreationDeterminantsDynamicsandManagementStrategiesrdquoJour-nal of RetailingVol85No1(2009)pp31-41andJochenWirtzandJohnEGBatesonldquoConsumerSatisfactionwithServicesIntegratingtheEnvironmentPerspectiveinServicesMarketingintotheTraditionalDisconfirmationParadigmrdquoJournal of Business ResearchVol44No1(1999)pp55-669TracyCarbasholdquoSurveyOffersInsightintoWhatFemaleBusinessTravelersSeekrdquoPittsburgh Business TimesVol22No7(September62002)p24httpproquestumicompqdwebindex=18ampdid=164199881ampSrchMode=3ampsid=1ampFmt=3ampVInst=PRODampVType=PQDampRQT=309ampVName=PQDampTS=1273681099ampclientId=8424ampaid=1asviewed

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 8: Women Business Travelers

8 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

travel-relatedliteratureproposedthingswomencoulddoforthemselvestoensureasmoothandsafetravelexperience11Timeshavechanged

A2003surveybytheTischCenteratNewYorkUniver-sitydescribedthetypicalwomantravelerasababyboomerwhohasabachelorrsquosdegreeismarriedwithnochildrenathomeandtakesatleastfourtripsayearThesewomenviewbusinesstravelasnecessarytotheircareeradvancement12WhenNewthexaminedwomentravelersonthedimen-sionsofexperienceincomerankageandeducationshefoundthatvariationsinpersonalcharacteristicsneedsandbehaviorscouldbeclusteredintooneofthreedistinctdemo-graphicgroupswhichshelabeledconnectiveempoweredandproductive(Exhibit2)13

WomenarenotonlytravelingmorefrequentlytheyaretravelingdifferentlythantheirmalecounterpartsOverhalfofroom-nightsspentbywomenareassociatedwith

11MarilynMuchldquoWomenCopewithBeingontheRoadrdquoIndustry WeekVol194No3(1977)pp38-4112NYUTischCenterSurveyrdquoComingofAgeTheContinuingEvolutionofFemaleBusinessTravelersrdquo200313Newthopcit

Exhibit 1

hotels respond to women business travelers

The industryrsquos response to women travelers has been accelerating as more properties plan for the growth of this market segment An increasing number of hotels are developing spa-like relaxing environments designed especially to meet womenrsquos preferences1

bull San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants began their Women in Touch program to celebrate women travelers by anticipating their needs2

bull The Pan Pacific San Francisco supplies their female guests with a personal escort to their room

bull In Illinois both Loews and Wyndham hotels set aside networking tables in their restaurants for solo women who prefer to dine with others3

bull W Hotels provides their female travelers with ldquoWonder Womanrdquo packages designed to make their stay more relaxing

bull Crowne Plaza has made the 11th floor of their hotel women only and has further addressed womenrsquos preferences by providing covered parking close to the lobby entrance of other properties4

bull In Miami Don Shularsquos Hotel amp Golf Club has created the Patrician floor of 18 rooms exclusively for women and experiences an average of 95-percent occupancy The property also keeps a complete history of female guests so that they can better anticipate their needs upon return5

1 Theodora Aggeles ldquoHospitalrsquos New Womenrsquos Unit Designed for Spa Ambiencerdquo St Petersburg Times May 11 20102 Andrea Cambern and Marcey Goulder ldquoIncrease in Female Business Travelers Prompts Hotels to Add Amenitiesrdquo The Columbia Dispatch April 16 20093 Dawn McCoy-Ullrich ldquoAlong on the Road Travel Industry Responds to Womenrsquos Security Needsrdquo American Woman Road amp Travel February 1 2002 pp 5-74 Herman Trend Alerts ldquoCatering to Women Travelersrdquo httpwwwguyotbrotherscomfuncatering-to-women-travelershtm as viewed January 7 20115 Bella Kelly ldquoHotels Cater to Female Business Travelersrdquo Ehoteliercom August 8 2006 httpehoteliercomhospitgality-newsitemphpid=A8936_0_11_0_M as viewed January 7 2011

Exhibit 2

profiles of women business travelers

Cluster 1mdashThe Connectivebull 10 or more years of travel experiencebull Annual income bracket of over $100000bull Most prevalent age group of 51ndash60 (369)bull High percent of women with graduate degrees (419)

Cluster 2mdashThe empoweredbull 7ndash10 years of travel experiencebull Highest percent of women earning annual income over $250000bull More women across ranksbull Most women in the 31ndash40 age groupbull Most women with graduate (425) and post-graduate (247) education

Cluster 3mdashThe productivebull Most women with 4ndash6 years of travel experiencebull Greatest percent of women with annual income between $150000 - $200000bull Greatest percentage of women in middle managementbull Greatest percentage of women 41ndash50 years (455)bull Highest percentage of respondents with undergraduate education only (398)

Source Adapted from Newth 2009

businesstravelersupfrom43percentin2003andapproxi-mately25percentin1991mdashandthatcomparestolessthan5percentjustfortyyearsago10Whileattentionhasbeenfocusedonwomenbusinesstravelersasaseparatemarketsegmentforseveraldecades(Exhibit1)muchoftheearly

May102010LoriAPennington-GrayandDeborahLKerstetterldquoWhatdoUniversity-educatedWomenWantfromTheirPleasureTravelExperi-encesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol40No1(2003)pp49-56andTiffanyWlazlowskildquoAsWomenBusinessTravelersIncreaseHospitalityIndustryTakesNoteAdaptsrdquoThe Daily RecordpA510WendyHartldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant QuarterlyVol34No5(1993)p10NewthopcitandUSTravelAs-sociationopcit

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

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Page 9: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 9

multi-nightstaysformeetingsconferencesorconven-tions(astatementthatcouldalsohavebeenmade40yearsago)Menontheotherhandaremoretransientandoftenhavesingle-nightstaysforsalesorconsultingpurposes14Importantlywomenmorefrequentlyincludepersonaltimeaspartoftheirbusinesstrip44percentincorporateleisureexperiencesintotheirtravelandover20percentofwomenbusinesstravelersaddvacationdaystoextendtheirstay15ThemannerinwhichwomenapproachtheirtravelisalsodistinctiveWomenbookroomsfurtherinadvancemakefeweritinerarychangesandmorefrequentlytraveleconomyclass16

TheTischCenterrsquosstudyisoneofthemostcomprehen-sivesurveysofwomenbusinesstravelersmadetodateBuiltonanearlier1999surveythe2003studyaskedarangeofquestionsregardingthetravelpreferencesandexperiencesof596womenfrombothprofessionalorganizationsandnot-for-profitwomenrsquosassociationsContrarytopopularbeliefresearchersfoundthatwomentravelersseldomtooktheirfamiliesonbusinesstripsThemajorityofrespondentsfeltlittlestressorguiltabouttravelingandbeingawayfromhomeNearly80percentofthewomensurveyedindicatedthattheyviewedtravelasessentialtotheirjobandfewsawitasdisruptingfamilylifeThewomenwhorespondedfeltthatbusinesstravelcontributedtotheirprofessionaladvance-mentandprovidedfreedomfromdailyroutines

TheImportanceofAffectEmotioncanbeseenasavalencedreactiontoperceptionsofaspecificsituationinthiscaseweareinterestedinwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoaffectiveresponsetotheirhotelexpe-rience17Muchresearchsupportsthenotionthatpositiveaffectmdashincludingconsumptionemotionssuchascomfortandpleasuremdashisdirectlyrelatedtocustomersatisfactionandsubsequentloyalty18Desirableemotionalreactionsin

14DKShiffletandPawanBhatialdquoHotelsMustChangetoMeetNeedsofFemaleTravelersrdquoHotel and Motel ManagementVol213No16(1998)pp32-3315NYUTischCenteropcit16RunzheimerInternationalTravelManagementldquoWomenBusinessTravelersrdquoVol19No11(2000)pp1-1417GeraldLCloreAndrewOrtonyandMarkAFossldquoThePsychologicalFoundationsoftheAffectiveLexiconrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol53No4(1987)pp751-755andMarcGobeandSergioZymanEmotional Branding The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People(NewYorkAllworthPress2001)18JonathanBarskyandLeonardNashldquoEvokingEmotionAffectiveKeystoHotelLoyaltyrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration Quar-terlyVol43No1(2002)pp39-46JEnriqueBigneAnnaSMattilaandLuisaAndreuldquoTheImpactofExperientialConsumptionCognitionsandEmotionsonBehavioralIntentionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No4(2008)pp303-315RichardLOliverldquoCognitiveAffec-tiveandAttributeBasesofSatisfactionResponserdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol20No3(1993)pp418-430VeronicaLiljanderandTore

thelodgingcontextoccurwhenservicesfacilities(includingdesignelements)andamenitiescombinetocreateapositiveandmemorableresponse

Researchhasestablishedthattherearesignificantgenderdifferencesintheperceivedimportanceofspecificattributesrelatedtobusinesstravelingeneralandhotelsinparticular19Additionallythereseemstobelittleques-tionthatwomenrespondtotheemotionalaspectsoftheirserviceexperiencetoasubstantiallyhigherdegreethandomen20Emotionalawarenessandemotionalintensityappeartobestrongerforwomenthatistheypaymoreattentiontoandrespondmoredirectlytoaffectiveelements21Womenalsouseemotionindecisionmakingtoamuchgreaterde-greethandotheirmalecounterpartsprocessingmorecom-prehensiveinformationtoformassessments22Furthermenandwomendonotperceivetheirphysicalsurroundingsinthesamemannerduetoestablishedgenderdifferencesininformationprocessinganddecodingcapacities23

Ramanandhiscolleaguesforexampleconcludedthatwomenusedemotioninmakingchoicestoamuchgreater

StrandvikldquoEmotionsinServiceSatisfactionrdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry ManagementVol8No2(1997)pp148-169andLindaLPriceEricJArnouldandSheilaLDeiblerldquoConsumersrsquoEmotionalResponsestoServicerdquoInternational Journal of Service Industry Manage-mentVol6No3(1995)pp34-6319FangMengandUysalMuzafferldquoEffectsofGenderDifferencesonPerceptionsofDestinationAttributesMotivationsandTravelValuesAnExaminationofaNature-basedResortDestinationrdquoJournal of Sustainable TourismVol16No4(2008)pp445-46620RaeCarlsonldquoSexDifferencesinEgoFunctioningExploratoryStudiesofAgencyandCommunionrdquoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-ogyVol37No2(1971)pp267-277andDanaLJosephandDanielANewmanldquoEmotionalIntelligenceAnIntegrativeMeta-analysisandCascadingModelrdquoJournal of Applied PsychologyVol95No1(2010)pp54-7821FrankFujitaEdDienerandEdSandvikldquoGenderDifferencesinNega-tiveAffectandWell-beingTheCaseforEmotionalIntensityrdquoJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol61No3(1991)pp427-434RobinWSimonandLedaENathldquoGenderandEmotionintheUSDoMenandWomenDifferinSelf-reportsofFeelingsandExpressiveBehav-iorrdquoAmerican Journal of SociologyVol109No5(2004)pp1137-1176andSinclairet al opcit22KeniaMCastellanosJudithAHudsonJeannetteHavilandjonesandPatriciaJWilsonldquoDoesExposuretoAmbientOdorsInfluencetheEmotionalContentofMemoriesrdquoAmerican Journal of PsychologyVol123No3(2010)pp267-277StevePanandChrisRyanldquoGenderFram-ingandTraveloguesrdquoJournal of Travel ResearchVol45No4(2007)pp464-474andLauretteDubeacuteandMichaelSMorganldquoTrendEffectsandGenderDifferencesinRetrospectiveJudgmentsofConsumptionEmo-tionsrdquoJournal of Consumer ResearchVol23No2(1996)pp156-16223CherylGanesan-LimRebekahRussell-BennettandTraceyDagger

ldquoTheImpactofServiceContactTypeandDemographicCharacteristicsonServiceQualityPerceptionsrdquoJournal of Services MarketingVol22No7(2008)pp550-561andAnnaSMattilaAliciaAGradeyandGlendaMFiskldquoTheInterplayofGenderandAffectiveToneinServiceEncounterSatisfactionrdquoJournal of Service ResearchVol6No2(2003)pp136-143

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

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Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 10: Women Business Travelers

10 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

amenityorserviceorfacilitythatwomenparticularlyprefermanagersneedtoprovidearequisiteclusterofservicesfacilitiesandamenitiesThismoreindividualizedapproachmakesparticularlygoodsensewhenthewidevariationsamongindividualpropertiesanddifferencesinmanagersrsquoabilitytoimplementchangeisalsoconsidered

WiththatrealizationIpresentaconceptualmodelthatdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofaffectinthehotelexperience27Themodelhighlightstheconsiderationshotelmanagersneedtoaddresswhentheirgoalistomeettheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbycreatinganexperi-encemostlikelytoproducethetargetedaffectiveresponse(Exhibit3)Whenthisframeworkisappliedmanagersfocusonidentifyingtheappropriateelementsmdashamenitiesservicesandfacilitiesmdashintheirparticularhotelcontext28

27Johnsonet al opcitandKenWMcClearyPamelaAWeaverandLiLanldquoGender-basedDifferencesinBusinessTravelersrsquoLodgingPrefer-encesrdquoCornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol35No2pp51-5828CoghlanandPearceopcitThomasDavenportandJohnCBeckThe Attention Economy Understanding the New Currency of Business(Boston

degreethandidmen24afindingthatappliestohowwomenassessthequalityoftheirhotelstayMenontheotherhandhavebeenfoundtobemoreoutcome-focusedandconsiderfewercuesinmakingtheirjudgmentsofquality25

Forhoteliersthenpayingcloseattentiontothewaysinwhichthehotelenvironmentinfluencesaffectiveresponsesisaparticularlyfruitfulapproachtoattractingwomenbusinesstravelers26Ratherthantrytoidentifyaparticular

24NiranjanVRamanPrithvirajChattopadhyayandWayneDHoyerldquoDoConsumersSeekEmotionalSituationsTheNeedforEmotionrdquoAd-vances in Consumer ResearchVol22(1995)pp537-54225DawnIacobucciandAmyOstromldquoGenderDifferencesintheImpactofCoreandRelationalAspectsofServicesontheEvaluationofServiceEncountersrdquoJournal of Consumer PsychologyVol2No3(1993)pp257-286MichelLarocheGadSaadMarkClevelandandElizabethBrowneldquoGenderDifferencesinInformationSearchStrategiesforaChristmasGiftrdquoJournal of Consumer MarketingVol17No6(2000)pp500-514andKirkLWakefieldandJeffreyGBlodgettldquoCustomerResponsetoIntangibleandTangibleServiceFactorsrdquoPsychology amp Mar-ketingVol16No1(1999)pp51-6826GayleLetherbyandGillianReynoldsGendered Journeys Mobile Emo-tions (FarnhamAshgate2009)

MArkeT

AffeCTive STATe DeSireD

AMeniTieSServiCeS fACiliTieS AnD DeSign

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

SeT of properTy-SpeCifiC opTionS

Selected based on specific

characteristics of market

Selected items based on specific characteristics of

property

Exhibit 3

Model for selection of services and amenities based on desired guest affective responses

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 11: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 11

andin-roomsafeswomenpreferredamorecompre-hensiveapproachtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyfromintrudersorassaults32Examplesofspecificmeasureshotelshavetakenincludewell-lithallwayscoveredparkinganddeadboltsondoors33

(2)Feelings of comfortWomenaremoreconcernedaboutgettingagoodnightrsquossleepthantheirmalecounter-partsInajointstudytheNationalSleepFoundationandHiltonHotelsdiscoveredthatnearly20percentmorewomenthanmenareconcernedwithtravel-relat-edsleepissuesNearly80percentofwomensurveyedbelievedthatsleepisitselfavaluableuseoftimewhile30percentoftheirmalecounterpartssawsleepasldquoawasteoftimerdquo34WomentakesleepseriouslyandaretwiceaslikelyasmentobringtheirownpillowwhentheytravelHotelshavetakennoticewithsuchinnova-tionsasWestinrsquosHeavenlyBedandotherbed-relatedamenities35Numerousattributesofthehotelroomenvironmentitselfmdashheatlightsoundcolormdashcontrib-utetoperceptionsofcomfortandrelaxationwithin-creasingnumbersofhotelsstrivingtocreateaspa-likeambience36

(3)Feelings of empowermentWhenNewthstudiedwomenbusinesstravelerstheonethingallwomeninhersamplehadincommonwasthedesiretofeelempow-ered37Surveysrevealthatwomenseekbusinesstraveltobroadentheirhorizonscontributetotheirprofes-sionaladvancementandprovidethemwithfreedomfromdailyroutinesRoomserviceandtheconvenienceofin-roomfacilitiesplayanimportantroleinhelpingwomentravelersachieveasenseofindependenceandwell-being38A2001studyforinstancefoundthatover

32AndreaNewellldquoDoFemaleBusinessTravelersHaveDifferentNeedsSurveySaysYesrdquohttpwwwtheglasshammercomnews20090605do-female-travelers-have-different-needsasviewedJanuary7201133AlisonColemanldquoShouldWomenReceiveSpecialTreatmentrdquoDirec-torVol56No5(2002)p45andWlazlowskiopcit34CHamiltonldquoYouAreGettingSleepyDoWomenMakeBetterBusi-nessTravellersThanMenrdquoCMA ManagementVol73No7(1999)p3835ShelleySwiftldquoHotelsAirlinesCateringtoWomenTravelersrdquoIndia-napolis Business JournalVol21No5(2000)pp23-2536JulieBakerandMichaelleCameronldquoTheEffectsofServiceEnvi-ronmentonAffectandConsumerPerceptionofWaitingTimeAnIntegrativeReviewandResearchPropositionsrdquoJournal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceVol24No4(1996)p338-349andTimothyRHinkinandJBruceTraceyldquoTheServiceImperativeFactorsDrivingMeetingEffectivenessrdquoCornell Hospitality and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyVol39No5(1998)pp59-6737Newthopcit38JoeSharkeyldquoHotelLorefromFemaleTravelersrdquoThe New York TimesAugust62002pC6andJoeSharkeyldquoOneWomanrsquosAccountofTwo

AffectEmotionalReactiontotheHotelExperienceMostsurveysdesignedtoidentifyamenitiesandservicesthatwomenbusinesstravelersseekhavebeenbasedontheideaoffocusingonspecificamenitiesorservicesratherthantheamenitiesrsquocontributiontotheoverallstay29Bycontrastthepropositionputforthinthisreportmdashthatwomenwantpositiveaffectnotaspecificitemmdashallowsmanagerstomakemoreinformedandindividualizedjudgmentsregardingthemostreasonableandappropriatemeansofsatisfyingtheirfemaleguests

BasedonstudiesofwomenbusinesstravelersinthepasttwodecadesIdevelopedapreliminarylistoftheemotionswomenseekFouraffectivestateswereidentifiedasrecur-ringthemesasfollows(1) Feelings of safetyAboveallwomenwanttofeelsafe

JohnPortmanandAssociatesforinstanceconductedasurveyofwhatwomenwantwhentheytravel30Thisstudyof13000womenfromFortune1000companiesconfirmedwhatnumerouspreviousstudiesofwomenrsquostravelneedshadrevealedwomenwantedtoknowthatthehotelwasconcernedwithkeepingthemsafewhenawayfromhome31Unlikemaletravelerswhoweresat-isfiedwithlittlemorethaninformationaboutfireexits

HarvardBusinessSchoolPress2002)JosephPForgasldquoMoodandJudg-mentTheAffectInfusionModelrdquoPsychological BulletinVol11No1(1995)pp39-66andHanandBackopcit29EmmaAllenldquoWhatWomenWantrdquoCaterer amp HotelkeeperVol198No4528(2008)pp64-65ChristineBlankldquoPackagesCatertoWhatWomenWantrdquoHotel amp Motel ManagementVol220No16(2005)pp26-52CCaldwellldquoPhiladelphiaCrownePlazaHotelAnIdealPlacetoStayintheHeartofAmericardquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelVol15(2002)pp12-13EricSWChanandSimonCKWongldquoHotelSelectionWhenPriceisNottheIssuerdquoJournal of Vacation MarketingVol12No2(2006)pp142-159RogerCollisldquoForWomenLifeontheRoadCanStillBeProblematicrdquoThe International Herald TribuneApril202007p24FDanielldquoTriadHotelsFollowNationalTrendofOfferingServicesTargetingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsApril242006p1DanielleDerringerldquoHotelsOfferAmenitiestoSuiteFemaleTravelersrdquoRochester Business JournalVol22No17(2006)p26PaulBurnhamFinneyldquoWomen-friendlyHotelFloorsReturnwithModernTwistsrdquoThe New York Timeshttpwwwnytimescom20080805busi-nessworldbusiness05iht-05women15010505htmlasviewedMay102010IzumiMiyachildquoBusinessHotelsWooingWomenrdquoKnight Ridder Tribune Business NewsJune172005p1SarahMuxlowldquoTheCompeti-tiontoCaterforWomenBusinessTravellersrdquo4HotelierscomJune252007GailSammonsPatMoreoLoriFoxBensonandFredDeMicco

ldquoAnalysisofFemaleBusinessTravelersrsquoSelectionofLodgingAccommoda-tionsrdquoJournal of Travel amp Tourism MarketingVol8No1(1999)pp65-83andRandiSchmelzerldquoJWMarriottRespondstoFemale-onlyFloorConcernsrdquoPR Week(US)June42007p230Carbashoopcit31Mary-LaneKambergldquoTravelIndustrySetsSightsonWomenTravel-ersrdquoWomen in BusinessVol53No6(2001)p30andDawnMcCoy-UllrichldquoAlongontheRoadTravelIndustryRespondstoWomenrsquosSecu-rityNeedsrdquoAmerican Woman Road amp TravelFebruary12002pp5-7

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

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Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

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CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

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Page 12: Women Business Travelers

12 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

75percentofwomenorderroomserviceatleastonceadaycomparedto54percentofmen39Ina2003studythetop-rankedldquomusthavesrdquoforwomenbusinesstravel-ersincludedmini-bars(71percent)andspaservicesonthepremises(47percent)40Inadditionwomenseekhotelswithanon-sitefitnesscenter41InfactwhenwomenbusinesstravelersweresurveyedbyKempinskihotelsworkoutfacilitiesrankedfirstamongthefeaturesofanldquoidealrdquoaccommodation42

(4)Feelings of being valuedBeyondstandardserviceswomenalsoappreciateanarrayofamenitiesthatmakethemfeelpamperedandvaluedArecurringthemethathasemergedinrecentsurveysisthatwomentravelersdonotfeelthatthehospitalityindustryvaluesthemHotelshavebeguntorespondtothisconcernbyprovidinganarrayofitemsincludingupgradedamenitiesbrand-namebathproductsmake-upmirrors

HotelExperiencesrdquoThe New York TimesJuly302002pC739Carbashoopcit40Brownopcit41Colemanopcit42Hartopcit

freshflowersandflavoredcoffeesandteasWomenalsoenjoylargewindowslight-coloredwallsandstylishroomfurnishings43

HotelManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenrsquosPreferencesAkeyelementinthechainofcustomersatisfactionforwomentravelersistheperceptionsofhotelmanagersregard-ingwomenrsquospreferencesManagersrsquoviewsareimportantsincetheyareresponsibleforcreatingandimplementingtheaspectsoftheguestexperiencethatshouldcreatetheaffec-tiveenvironmentpreferredbytheirfemaleguestsWiththisismindIconductedanon-linesurveytolearnmoreabouthotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsandactivitiesrelatedtowomenbusinesstravelers

SurveyQuestionsandDesignTheon-linesurveywassentviaemailtothoseregisteredintheCenterforHospitalityResearchdatabasewiththetitleofldquogeneralmanagerrdquoAfterthreeweeksIhadreceivedarespectableresponseof116usablesurveys

ThesurveywasdividedintothreesectionsThefirstsec-tionaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionsregardingmanag-ersrsquobeliefsaboutwomenbusinesstravelersrsquopreferencesandpracticesIncludedweretopicsregularlycoveredonprevi-oussurveyssuchashowimportanttheythoughtitwastoaddresswomenrsquoshotelpreferencesandtheextenttowhichtheybelievedwomenassociatedvariousemotionswiththeirtravelexperience

Thesecondsectionpresentedrespondentswithalistof37itemsdrawnfromtheliterature(andreviewedbywomenbusinesstravelers)andaskedthemtoratetherela-tiveimportanceofeachitemtowomenbusinesstravelersonaLikertscaleoffrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantThe37itemswerearrangedinthefollowingfourcategoriesforclarityhotelroomlocationhotelroomame-nitiesfoodandbeverageandhotelattributesandservicesThethirdandfinalsectionofthesurveyrequesteddemo-graphicinformation

RespondentsrsquoDemographicProfileSixty-sixpercentofthesurveyrespondentsweremenand90percentoftheserespondents(69people)indicatedthattheirtitlewasgeneralmanager(seeExhibit4)Ontheotherhandonly51percentofthefemalerespondents(20people)weregeneralmanagersInstead36percentofthewomenrespondingindicatedthattheirpositionwaseitherdepart-mentmanagerordirectorTherespondentsweregenerallyindustryveteransasonlyaboutone-quarterofbothmenandwomenhadheldtheirpositionlessthanfiveyearsThepercentageofmenandwomenholdingtheirpositionsfor

43ColemanopcitandSwiftopcit

Job Title Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

general Manager 89 (77) 69 (90) 20 (51)Manager or Director 20 (17) 6 (8) 14 (36)other 7 (6) 2 (3) 5 (13)

years in Current position

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

less than 5 28 (24) 19 (25) 9 (23)5 to 10 35 (30) 22 (29) 13 (33)More than 10 53 (46) 36 (47) 17 (44)

years Worked in hospitality

Total N = 109

Men N = 72

Women N = 37

less than 5 2 (2) 1 (1) 1 (3)5 to 10 14 (13) 5 (7) 9 (24)11 to 15 14 (13) 10 (14) 4 (11)16 to 20 23 (21) 13 (18) 10 (27)over 20 56 (51) 43 (60) 13 (35)

Exhibit 4

respondentsrsquo demographic profile

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 13: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 13

morethantenyearswasalsosimilarwith47percentofmenand44percentofwomenplacingthemselvesinthatcategoryWhileonly8percentofthemalerespondentshadworkedinthehospitalityindustryfewerthan10years27percentofthewomenindicatedtheyhadworkedinhospitalitytenyearsorlessOntheotherendofthescale78percentofmenand62percentofwomenhadworkedintheindustryover15yearsmdashand60percentofthemenhadworkedintheindustryover20years

AsubstantialnumberofhotelsservedbusinesstravelersTwentypercentofrespondentsindicatedthatover75per-centoftheirguestswerebusinesstravelersandanother39percentreportedthatatleasthalfoftheirguestswerebusi-nesstravelersAttheotherendofthespectrumapproxi-mately19percentofrespondentsworkedinhotelswherefewerthan25percentoftheirguestswerethereonbusinessWhenansweringarelatedquestionldquoWhatpercentageofyourbusinessguestsarewomenrdquo15percentofrespondentsindicatedthatoverhalfoftheirguestswerewomenbusinesstravelersAnother50percentofthemanagersworkedinpropertieswhereoveraquarteroftheirguestswereinthiscategoryOfthetotalsampleonly27percentindicatedthattheirhotelmakesspecialaccommodationsforwomenbusi-nesstravelersandyet60percentbelievedthataddressingtheneedsandpreferencesofwomentravelerswasapriorityforthehospitalityindustryTwenty-twopercentwereunsureWhenaskedthesamequestionona5-pointscalefrom1=unimportantto5=extremelyimportantthemeanscoreofthe116respondentswas425(seeExhibit5)

ManagersrsquoPerceptionsofWomenBusinessTravelersRespondentswereaskedseveralbroad-basedquestionssuchaswhichgendertheybelievedwasmorelikelytoprovidefeedbackontheirhotelstayandwhichgenderwasmostlikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstayThirtyofthe40womenwhoresponded(77percent)saidthatwomenweremostlikelytoprovidefeedbackbutonly44ofthe76menwhoweresurveyed(58percent)believedthistobethecaseTheremainingtenwomenthoughttherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersandnoneofthefemalerespondentsthoughtthatmenweremorelikelythanwomentoprovidefeedbackBothmen(56percent)andwomen(59percent)believedthatwomenbusinesstravelersaremorelikelytoexpressdissatisfactionwiththeirstaythantheirmalecounterpartsInbothcases23percentofrespondentsfeltthattherewasnodifferencebetweenthegendersonthisdimension(Exhibit6)

ThemanagerswerethenaskedtoindicatethedegreetowhichtheybelievedbusinesswomenexperiencedeachofsevenemotionsthatpreviousresearchhadassociatedwiththetravelexperienceTheresultsarepresentedonthe

guests business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 22 (20) 15 (21) 7 (19)51-75 42 (39) 30 (42) 12 (33)25-50 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)less than 25 20 (19) 12 (17) 8 (22)

guests Women business Travelers

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

over 75 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (3)51-75 16 (15) 10 (14) 6 (17)25-50 54 (50) 39 (54) 15 (42)less than 25 37 (34) 23 (32) 14 (39)

Special Accommodations for Women business Travelers

Total N = 109

Men N = 73

Women N = 36

yes 29 (27) 22 (30) 7 (19)no 80 (73) 51 (70) 29 (81)

Women business Traveler as high priority

Total N = 108

Men N = 72

Women N = 36

yes 65 (60) 46 (64) 19 (53)no 19 (18) 11 (15) 8 (22)not sure 24 (22) 15 (21) 9 (25)

importance of Addressing needs of Women business Travelers

Total N = 116

Men N = 77

Women N = 39

Means (Scale 1ndash5) 425 425 426

Exhibit 5

profile of guests served

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

Exhibit 6

respondentsrsquo expectations on guest communication

respondentsMale

guestsfemale guests

no Difference

Male 65 584 351

female 00 769 231

respondentsMale

guests female guests

no Difference

Male 2080 5580 2340

female 1790 5900 2310

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

guests most likely to provide feedback on hotel stay

Note Based on a survey of 116 hotel managers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 14: Women Business Travelers

14 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

(showninExhibit8nextpage)IrsquollnotefouritemsonwhichmaleandfemalemanagershadthegreatestmeandifferencescoresMenthoughtthatwomenwantedatubinthebath-room(meandifference42)andfreshflowers(meandiffer-ence42)toafargreaterdegreethanthewomenmanagersdidOntheotherhandthemalemanagersthoughtcoveredparking(meandifferenceof-48)andcomplimentarygar-mentpressing(meandifference-40)werelessimportantthanthefemalemanagersdid

Whilethosefindingscanbehelpfulforhoteloperatorsmypurposehereistoapplymymodeltoexaminetherela-tivevaluethesemanagersplacedoneachofthefouraffectivestatespreviouslyhypothesizedtobeimportanttowomentravelersmdashonceagainbecauseoverallaffectregardingthestayisfarmoreimportanttocustomersatisfactionthanaparticularamenitymightbeAnexaminationofclustersofitemsassociatedwitheachaffectiveresponserevealsabroaderviewofmanagersrsquoperceptionsrelatedtowomenrsquospreferencesTocreatethesegroupingsthreetrainedstudent

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5Re

spon

dent

s M

ean

Ratin

gs

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Stress Pleasure Anxiety Conflict Excitement Relaxation Guilt

Male 313 266 261 251 219 230 217

Female 300 282 221 213 254 221 205

Total Respondents 309 272 247 238 231 227 213

1

15

2

25

3

35

4

45

5

Resp

onde

nts

Mea

n Ra

tings

Emotions

Male

Female

Total Respondents

Exhibit 7

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo emotions while traveling on business

graphinExhibit7Stresswasratedhighestbybothmaleandfemalerespondentswithameanof309Pleasure(meanof272)andanxiety(mean247)followedandguiltreceivedthelowestmeanscorefrombothgenders(217bymenand205fromwomen)Thegreatestdifferencesbetweentheper-ceptionsofmaleandfemalemanagershadtodowiththeirratingsofthedegreetowhichwomenbusinesstravelersexperiencedanxiety(differenceof40)conflict(differenceof38)andexcitement(differenceof-35)Femalemanagersbelievedthatwomenbusinesstravelersfeltmoreexcitementandpleasureandexperiencedlessconflictfromtheirtravelexperiencethandidtheirmalecounterparts

HowtheHotelExperienceFeelsBasedontheimportancerankingofthe37hotelattributesIcalculatedmeanscoresfortherespondentsasawholeandalsoforthemalemanagersandthefemalemanagerstodeterminemanagersrsquoperceptionsoftherelativeimpor-tanceofthoseindividualitemstowomenbusinesstravelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 15: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 15

1 room Attributes

Means

TotalMale

(n=77)female (n=39) Difference

a Room location 371 373 367 006

b Touch screen controls 209 205 218 -013

c Full length mirror 399 395 408 -013

d Large bathroom 365 365 364 001

e Luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004

f Quiet room 390 390 390 000

g Tub in addition to shower 300 314 272 042

h Deadbolts on doors 432 431 432 -001

i High thread-count bedding 330 327 336 -009

2 room Amenities

a Top of the line bath products 347 348 344 004

b Personalized stationery 233 238 223 015

c Bathrobes 319 316 326 -010

d Fresh flowers 259 273 231 042

e Exercise equip in room 218 216 223 -007

f Pillow choices 312 309 318 -009

g Flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019

h In-room emergency alarm 324 322 328 -006

i High-speed internet in room 433 429 441 -012

j Personal interest magazines 277 271 287 -016

3 food and beverage

a Notify prior to room delivery 347 342 359 -017

b Guides to local restaurants 316 309 331 -022

c Networking tables in restaurants 235 228 254 -026

d Dependable room service 361 362 359 003

4 hotel Attributes and Services

a Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005

b Secure access floors 396 397 392 005

c Executive lounge 303 296 315 -019

d 24-hour exercise facility 288 279 315 -036

e Gender-designated floors 214 225 192 033

f Security personnel making rounds 345 348 338 010

g In-room massage available 231 236 221 015

h Complimentary garment pressing 294 281 321 -040

i Personal shopper available 203 205 200 005

j Complimentary full breakfast 331 322 349 -027

k Child care service 222 227 213 014

l Covered parking garage 281 265 313 -048

m Self check-inout 262 253 279 -026

n Security cameras in hallways 360 349 382 -033

o Late check-out available 347 345 351 -006

p Spa services on premises 291 292 290 002

Exhibit 8

respondentsrsquo perception of womensrsquo assessment of hotel features and amenities

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 16: Women Business Travelers

16 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

assistantsweregivendefinitionsofeachofthefouraffectiveresponses(Exhibit9)IndividualsurveyitemswereprovidedonseparatecardsandassistantswereaskedtosorteachitemaccordingtohowitcontributedtofeelingsofsafetyfeelingsofcomfortfeelingsofempowermentandfeelingsofbeingvaluedItemsthatdidnotfitintooneofthesefourcategorieswerelabeledaseitherldquobusinessneedsrdquoorldquootherrdquoSubsequentanalysisinvolvedonlythoseitemsviewedasbelongingtothesamecategorybyallthreeassistantsandmyself

AftercompletingthisprocessthreeofthefinalclusterscomprisedsixitemsandthefourthclusterhadsevenitemsasshowninExhibit10onthenextpage(Fiveitemswereconsideredldquobusinessneedsrdquoandtheremainingsevenldquootherrdquoitemswerediscardedbecausetheywereneitherconsistentlyassociatedwithbusinesspurposesnorwithoneoftheaf-fectivestatesbeingexamined)Hotelmanagersratedsafetyitemsashavingthegreatestimportancewithameanscoreof369Thiswasfollowedbyitemsrelatedtowomenrsquosdesiretoexperiencecomfort(meanof326)andtofeelvalued(mean290)Theoverallmeanforthesevenitemsrepresent-ingempowermentwasjustslightlylower282Themeanofthefiveitemsrepresentingldquobusinesspurposerdquowas328

DiscussionandImplicationsforManagementPracticeThisstudyconfirmsalong-establishedprincipleBothwomentravelersandthemanagersresponsiblefortheirstayareconcernedwiththewomenrsquospersonalsafetyThushotelmanagersshouldreviewthewaystheycanreinforcetheirhotelrsquossafetyincludingcoveredparkingsecurelockswell-lithallwaysandthoughtfulroomlocation

Thedesiretofeelspecialandpamperedisreflectedinmanyhotelsrsquouseofflowersandupscaleamenitiesbutagainspecificamenitiesarelessimportantthananoverall

ldquoluxuriousambiencerdquoBasedonthisfindingwomentravel-ersmaywellchoosehotelsthatdemonstrateaninterest

Exhibit 9

Affective states women business travelers seekfeelings of Safety

These services and amenities make guests feel safe and secure They reduce anxiety about threats related to personal safety and the security of belongings

feelings of Comfort and relaxationThese services and amenities increase guestsrsquo comfort and enable them to more fully rest and relax while away from home

feelings of empowermentThese services and amenities allow guests to pursue their personal well-being and make the most of the hotel stay They create a feeling of independence and freedom

feelings of being valued as a Woman TravelerThese services and amenities make women business travelers feel that they are pampered and acknowledged as having distinctive preferences and needs

Note Based on Literature Review 1995ndash2010

inmakingthemfeelspecialandpamperedSurveyshaverepeatedlyconcludedthatwomendonotfeelvaluedbythetravelindustryThecustomercareexpressedthroughfreshflowersandtop-of-the-linebathproductsmaybeonewaytocounteractthatfeeling

Themalemanagersinthissurveycharacterizedwomenrsquosbusinesstravelexperienceasmorestressfulandlesspositivethanthefemalemanagersand(basedonpreviousstudies)thewomenthemselvesContrarytotheperceptionfoundinthissurveystudiesindicatethatwomentravelersregardlessoftheirparticularprofilefindtravelempoweringThesefeelingsofempowermentwell-beingandpleasurecanbeenhancedontheroadbygivingwomenopportunitiestoexerciseonsiterequestroomserviceortakeadvantageoftheexecutiveloungeInsumregardlessoftheconstraintsofaparticularpropertyorbudgetaryrequirementsmanag-erscanfeelconfidentthatanyeffortsdirectedtoenhancingoneormoreoftheabovefouraffectiveexperienceswillcontributetoamorepositivehotelstayforwomenbusinesstravelers

LimitationsandFutureResearchAlthoughresearchonwomentravelersextendsbacknearlyhalfacenturysomeelementsofthehotelindustrystillpro-fesstowonderldquowhatwomentravelerswantrdquoByexaminingindustryprofessionalsrsquoviewonthisquestionthisreportisintendedtoserveasacatalystforfuturestudiesthataddressquestionsrelatedtoattractingthisimportantsegmentofthetravelmarketItsuggestsanapproachtounderstandingwomenrsquoshotelpreferencesthatfocusesonaffectasanout-comeratherthanindividualitemsasindicatorsofsatisfac-tionWhilelimitedinscopeandmodestinitsanalysisthisreviewservesasastartingpointformanagerswhowanttoaddresstheneedsofwomenbusinesstravelersbyfocusingonemotionaloutcomesratherthanjustlookingatspecificamenitiesorpropertyattributesThisstudyalsoprovidesaglimpseofhotelmanagersrsquoperceptionswhichmayfacilitate

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 17: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 17

feeling of safetyMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

Deadbolts 432 431 432 -001in-room alarm 324 322 328 -006Safe hotel location 446 444 449 -005Secure access floors 396 397 392 005Security make rounds 345 348 338 010Covered parking 281 265 313 -048Security cameras in hallways

360 349 382 -033

Average mean 369 365 376 -011

Exhibit 10

hotel attributes associated with key affective states

feeling of personal empowerment

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

exercise equipment in room

218 216 223 -007

room service 361 362 359 003executive lounge 303 296 315 -01924-hour exercise facility

288 279 315 -036

in-room massage 231 236 221 015Spa services on premises

291 292 290 002

Average mean 282 240 287 -047

feeling of comfortMeans Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

large bath 365 365 364 001Quiet room 390 390 390 000Tub amp shower 300 314 272 042high thread bedding 330 327 336 -009pillow choices 312 309 318 -009bathrobes 319 316 326 -010Average Mean 336 337 334 003

feeling of feeling valued

Means Total

Mean Men

Mean Women Difference

luxurious ambience 321 319 323 -004personalized stationery

233 238 223 015

fresh flowers 259 273 231 042flavored coffeetea 303 296 315 -019personal interest magazines

277 271 287 -016

Top of the line bath products

347 348 344 004

Average mean 290 291 287 004 Note Based on respondentsrsquo ratings from 1 = unimportant to 5 = extremely important

analignmentbetweenwhathotelmanagersthinkwomenwantfromtheirtravelexperienceandtheself-reportsfromwomenbusinesstravelers

Themodelpresentedinthispapersuggestsanumberoffutureresearchquestionsamongthem(1) Howdowomenrsquosexperiencesandpreferencescompare

tohotelmanagersrsquoperceptionsInwhatwaysmightthesetwodimensionsbebetteraligned

(2) Whatroledoemotionsplayinwomenbusinesstravel-ersrsquodecisionmakingregardingtheirhotelchoicesIsthereahierarchyofwomenbusinesstravelersrsquoneedsthathotelmanagerswouldbewell-advisedtoconsider

(3) WhatservicesamenitiesandfacilitieshavethemostdirectinfluenceonwomenrsquosaffectiveresponsesIsthereathresholdrelatedtovariousaffectivestates

(4) CanthewomenbusinesstravelermarketbefurthersegmentedWhatvariablesmostdirectlyaffectwomenrsquosneedsandpreferences

(5) WhatimpactdoeswomenrsquostravelhaveonworkandfamilybalanceOncareeradvancementAretheredif-ferentconsequencesformenrsquosandwomenrsquostravel

ConclusionToremaincompetitiveintodayrsquosdynamicmarketitseemsclearthathotelcompaniesmustbeabletodevelopandfocustheirservicestomeettheneedsandpreferencesofwomenbusinesstravelersInthisreportIsuggestthatratherthanfollowthefluctuatingandoftencontradictorylistofspecificpreferencesreportedinprevioussurveysmanagersfocusinsteadonhowcombinationsofservicesamenitiesandfa-cilitiescontributetothedesiredaffectiveexperiencesoughtbybusinesswomentravelers

Althoughthequestionofwhatwomenwanthassome-timesprovenelusivewomenbusinesstravelershavebeguntodefinethehotelexperiencewithaclearandconsistentmessageabouttheneedtofeelsafecomfortableempow-eredandpamperedGuidedbythesethemeshotelmanag-ersareinanexcellentpositiontoexceedtheexpectationsofthisdynamicandgrowingmarketn

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 18: Women Business Travelers

18 TheCenterforHospitalityResearchbullCornellUniversity

Cornell Hospitality Quarterlyhttpcqxsagepubcom

2011 ReportsVol11No11CustomerLoyaltyANewLookattheBenefitsofImprovingSegmentationEffortswithRewardsProgramsbyClayVoorheesPhDMichaelMcCallPhDandRogerCalantonePhD

Vol11No10CustomerPerceptionsofElectronicFoodOrderingbySherylEKimes

Vol11No92011TravelIndustryBenchmarkingStatusofSeniorDestinationandLodgingMarketingExecutivesbyRohitVermaPhDandKenMcGill

Vol11No8SearchOTAsandOnlineBookingAnExpandedAnalysisoftheBillboardEffectbyChrisAndersonPhD

Vol11No7OnlineMobileandTextFoodOrderingintheUSRestaurantIndustrybySherylEKimesPhDandPhilippFLaqueacute

Vol11No6HotelGuestsrsquoReactionstoGuestRoomSustainabilityInitiativesbyAlexSusskindPhDandRohitVermaPhD

Vol11No5TheImpactofTerrorismandEconomicShocksonUSHotelsbyCathyAEnzRenaacutetaKosovaacuteandMarkLomannoVol11No4ImplementingHumanResourceInnovationsThreeSuccessStoriesfromtheServiceIndustrybyJustinSunandKateWalshPhD

Vol11No3Compendium2011

Vol11No2PositioningaPlaceDevelopingaCompellingDestinationBrandbyRobertJKwortnikPhDandEthanHawkesMBA

Vol11No1TheImpactofHealthInsuranceonEmployeeJobAnxietyWithdrawalBehaviorsandTaskPerformance`bySeanWayPhDBillCarrollPhDAlexSusskindPhDandJoeCYLeng

2011 Hospitality ToolsVol2No1TheGameHasChangedANewParadigmforStakeholderEngagementbyMaryBethMcEuen

2011 Industry PerspectivesNo7MegaTips2TwentyTestedTechniquesforIncreasingYourTipsbyMichaelLynn

2011 ProceedingsVol3No7ImprovingtheGuestExperiencethroughServiceInnovationIdeasandPrinciplesfortheHospitalityIndustrybyCathyAEnzPhD

Vol3No6HospitalityBrandManagementRoundtableFreshThinkingabouttheBoxbyChekitanSDevandGlennWithiam

Vol3No5BuildingBrandsintheInternetAgeAnalyticsLoyaltyandCommunicationbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No4BraveNewWorldOnlineHotelDistributionbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No3SocialMediaandtheHospitalityIndustryHoldingtheTigerbytheTailbyGlennWithiam

Vol3No2TheChallengeofHotelandRestaurantSustainabilityFindingProfitinldquoBeingGreenrdquobyGlennWithiam

Vol3No1CautiousOptimismCHRSExaminesHospitalityIndustryTrendsbyGlennWithiam

2010 ReportsVol10No18HowTravelersUseOnlineandSocialMediaChannelstoMakeHotel-choiceDecisionsbyLauraMcCarthyDebraStockandRohitVermaPhD

Vol10No17PublicorPrivateTheHospitalityInvestmentDecisionbyQingzhongMaPhDandAthenaWeiZhangPhD

Vol10No16BestPracticesinSearchEngineMarketingandOptimizationTheCaseoftheStJamesHotelbyGregBodenlcosVictorBogertDanGordonCarterHearneandChrisKAndersonPhD

Vol10No15TheImpactofPrix Fixe MenuPriceFormatsonGuestsrsquoDealPerceptionbyShuoWangandMichaelLynnPhD

Vol10No14TheFutureofHotelRevenueManagementbySherylKimesPhD

Vol10No13MakingtheMostofPricelinersquosName-Your-Own-PriceChannelbyChrisAndersonPhDandRadiumYanDBA

Vol10No12CasesinInnovativePracticesinHospitalityandRelatedServicesSet4byCathyAEnzPhDRohitVermaPhDKateWalshPhDSherylEKimesPhDandJudyASiguawDBA

Vol10No11WhorsquosNextAnAnalysisofLodgingIndustryAcquisitionsbyQingzhongMaPhDandPengLiuPhD

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Publication Indexwwwchrcornelledu

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 19: Women Business Travelers

CornellHospitalityReportbullJune2011bullwwwchrcornelledu 19

The Executive Path Hospitality Leadership Through Learning

Complete program information and applications available online

wwwhotelschoolcornelleduexecedPhone + 1 607 255 4919 Email exec_ed_hotelcornelledu

Professionals from around the world are invited to attend 3-day 10-day or online courses at the worldrsquos leading institute for hospitality management education in

Visit our website to apply

Explore develop and apply ideas with global hospitality leaders and

expert Cornell professors

Success

AdvancingBusiness

andPersonal

bull Strategic Leadershipbull Financebull Foodservicebull Human Resources

bull Marketingbull Operationsbull Real Estate

wwwchrcornell edu

Page 20: Women Business Travelers

wwwchrcornell edu


Top restaurants expensed by business travelers

Top restaurants expensed by business travelers

Regulations concerning short-term business travelers ... · self-health management until the 21st day after entry. 4.2.5.2. Business travelers from medium-risk countries/regions After

Regulations concerning short-term business travelers ... · self-health management until the 21st day after entry. 4.2.5.2. Business travelers from medium-risk countries/regions After

Process Book International Business Travelers Group Book International Business Travelers Group Prepared by: Landon Paul JD/MBA Candidate Michael Aboukhaled MBA Candidate Michael Doroghazi

Process Book International Business Travelers Group Book International Business Travelers Group Prepared by: Landon Paul JD/MBA Candidate Michael Aboukhaled MBA Candidate Michael Doroghazi

Women in Business - Women In Business - 2015

Women in Business - Women In Business - 2015

16 Tips For International Business Travelers

16 Tips For International Business Travelers

Business Travelers Assessing tax and immigration risks 25 August 2015.

Business Travelers Assessing tax and immigration risks 25 August 2015.

Short Term Rentals vs Hotels For Business Travelers

Short Term Rentals vs Hotels For Business Travelers

Next Business Day Hardware Support for Travelers · Data sheet | HP Next Business Day Hardware Support for Travelers 2 | 5981-6650ENUS, February 2020 Features Delivery specifications

Next Business Day Hardware Support for Travelers · Data sheet | HP Next Business Day Hardware Support for Travelers 2 | 5981-6650ENUS, February 2020 Features Delivery specifications

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE - Amazon S3 · Do they travel? (all travelers, business travelers, business travel international, business travel US, casino travel, commuter, cruises, currently

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Best Travel Gear for Business Travelers

Best Travel Gear for Business Travelers

Xotelia - How to attract business travelers online?

Xotelia - How to attract business travelers online?

Short Term Business Travelers (STBT) The Hidden Risk · Short Term Business Travelers (STBT) The Hidden ... Tohmatsu Tax Services Sdn Bhd Employees who travel ... of companies that

Short Term Business Travelers (STBT) The Hidden Risk · Short Term Business Travelers (STBT) The Hidden ... Tohmatsu Tax Services Sdn Bhd Employees who travel ... of companies that

A Guide to Managing Business Travelers

A Guide to Managing Business Travelers

CBT-Agencies find niche with business travelers (July 2011)

CBT-Agencies find niche with business travelers (July 2011)

Sisters, Mothers, Daughters and Wives...Daughters and Wives Whether they are business leaders, students or stay-home moms, women travelers have additional safety concerns that can

Sisters, Mothers, Daughters and Wives...Daughters and Wives Whether they are business leaders, students or stay-home moms, women travelers have additional safety concerns that can

25 Travel Tips from the Busiest Business Travelers

25 Travel Tips from the Busiest Business Travelers

Women in Business - Women in Business 2015

Women in Business - Women in Business 2015

HalalFoodies for Travelers: A Conceptual Business Model ...

HalalFoodies for Travelers: A Conceptual Business Model ...

FlyBy - Connecting Business Travelers at the Airport

FlyBy - Connecting Business Travelers at the Airport

Skift Report: The Rise of Female Business Travelers

Skift Report: The Rise of Female Business Travelers