experiences . Deal breaker : technology that isn ’ t easy to use . It must improve the experience , not frustrate the user .
One example of using technology to facilitate fantastic customer service is Hilton Worldwide ’ s Conrad Concierge program , where guests can use their smartphones or tablets to customize their hotel experience . They can select their rooms from a digital floor plan , then purchase upgrades and select various amenities to be delivered to their room ahead of arrival .
76 % of Business travelers said they would extend their stay for a leisure component if hotels incentivized them with additional nights discounted or the chance to have a guest join them at a lesser rate .
Convenience and personalization gets Business Travelers attention – 92 % said ease of redemption , 84 % convenience of schedule and 73 % value the ability to personalize in-flight services . Service was very important to business travelers , with 81 % saying it had an impact on their evaluation of a loyalty program .
Driven by the millennial generation , experiential travel is most desirable – often at the cost of making sacrifices . For example , 34 % of millennials were willing to pay more for luxury car rental versus 25 % of other age groups , special dining ( 63 % versus 59 %) and events ( 57 % versus 53 %) BUT half of millennials told Hipmunk they would accept less leg room on a flight to save a few dollars , while 33 % said they would stand on a flight to pay less .
But inspiring travel experiences were appealing across all age groups with 40 % of those surveyed by COLLOQUY saying they place a premium on access to special events . 63 % valued destinations with cultural or historical significance , 45 % wanted to visit large metropolitan areas , 40 % look for sporting activities like scuba diving and hiking , and 49 % want to attend festivals or regional events .
74 % of people start thinking about a trip when they see a great deal and when they feel they need to get away from the pressures of daily life . Escaping the hum-drum , and that can also mean children , was fairly important , with 39 % saying they wanted to enjoy a child-free vacation . Another 32 % said that their most recent trip was as family vacation . It is at this planning phase that poor customer service , frustrating technology experience and negative reviews on social media can have an adverse impact on decision-making . User-generated reviews on sites like TripAdvisor can have a strong influence on people at this stage , with 53 % indicating that once they have made the decision to take a trip , they turn to social media for ideas on where to go and what to do . Hotels and travel loyalty programs would do well to reward social sharing with incentives or status upgrades to ensure increased revenue and more meaningful engagement .
Website functionality is key – here is what would drive them away .
25 % ineffective online presence 27 % pricing not displayed 23 % site did not allow booking
Other deal-breakers included not having a website at all , and added charges when booking with loyalty points ( 19 %)
Would travelers use sites operated by a Loyalty Program ?
75 % if it allowed easy itinerary adjustments
83 % if easy to use
69 % if it allows for paying all travel expenses with loyalty points
59 % if it has mobile app
69 % if it provided info about planned travel destinations
64 % if it kept track of travel preferences
56 % if it provided personalized travel recommendations
53 % if it offered customization of in-flight amenities
Social media in the decision-making process
Over 50 % look to Facebook for travel information , while 47 % get personal recommendations from friends and family . The figure for millennials jumps to 68 % when talking about travel , and 57 % use Instagram to collect travel inspiration compared to only 21 % of the general U . S . population .
At last , booking the trip
It ’ s a tech-savvy market , travelers have a wide array of choices to select from , and travel and loyalty operators need to be competitive to survive .
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