Most travelers are becoming more demanding about their expectations from hotels. According to an international survey conducted by Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), tourists are looking for personalized services and mostly, the tourists from emerging nations seem to be extremely exacting.
The survey carried out by IHG surveying 7,000 travelers from different countries, identified that apart from exacting superior quality facilities and treatments that are normally offered by renowned hotel chains, tourists desire their hotels to offer individual services based on their respective lifestyles and customs. Moreover, the survey exposed the fact that most of the guests want hotels to offer individual services depending upon their needs and preferences.
Nearly 59 % tourists that were surveyed claimed that with personalized amenities their stay at hotels can be "significantly more comfortable." About 54% said that custom-made services will make them feel like highly esteemed guests. The expectations of the travelers varied according to their age groups. The travelers between the ages of 18-34 stated that they would appreciate tailored amenities such as music, movies etc. while people that were 65 and older conveyed their inclination for healthier foods and drinks.
The survey clearly pointed out that tourists from emerging world markets had a stronger aspiration for custom-made facilities than the tourists from developed countries. More than 60 % of Chinese and Brazilian tourists hope for the hotels to tailor their services to suit their individual needs. In comparison, only around 40% of Americans and Britons expect the hotels to offer personalized services.
As per IHG, for the "new global explorers" or tourists from emerging countries, tailor-made amenities are deemed as a symbol of respect. Almost, 62% Chinese, 54% of Brazilian and 46% tourists from the UAE believed that personalized treatments make them feel a valued guest in contrast to 39% travelers from other countries that were surveyed by IHG.
Overall, the survey also divulged some unique preferences based on different nationalities. The survey disclosed that Britons loved surprises whereas Americans preferred choosing their own check-in/check-out timings. On the other hand, the Chinese were more interested in interactive applications that could help them trace places of interest while the Russians hoped for tourist guides who could converse in their own language.