AUSTIN, Texas, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than a
year in lockdown, 76% of consumers in North America plan to travel within the next
six months. According to a new Oracle Hospitality survey, 24%
of respondents in the US and Canada plan to travel immediately, 31% in the
next one to three months, and 21% by the end of the year.
People are largely traveling regionally, but venturing further
from home. Domestic travel will account for 61% of travel plans
(vs. 44% last year), 19% of people will stay within driving
distance (vs. 47% last year), and 20% will go abroad (vs. 10% last
year). Beaches (39%) and national parks (16%) are the favored
destinations. No matter the location, 77% noted a COVID-19
vaccination is very or somewhat important in giving them the peace
of mind to travel. In terms of getting on a plane, 18% do not feel
safe doing so until they are fully vaccinated.
Last year, travelers cared most about navigating uncertainty
with flexible hotel cancellation and refund policies. This
year is all about the experience. To fend off competition from
short-term property rentals, hoteliers are offering extended
services from packaged excursions to new dining options. The
majority of hotel executives surveyed (72%) are exploring
opportunities for non-room revenue. And consumers are all in, with
68% noting they are very or somewhat interested in purchasing
products or experiences from their hotel beyond the room.
"The pandemic has had a profound impact on the hospitality
industry and continues to redefine how travel will look moving
forward," said Alex Alt, senior vice
president and general manager, Oracle Hospitality. "The great news
is that travel is on the rise and consumers are excited to get back
out in the world. However, they have new and evolving expectations
of what that experience will look like. Hoteliers are rising to the
challenge to not only delight customers with a great stay, but also
come up with services to boost revenue and compete with the growing
short-term rental market."
The Oracle commissioned survey was conducted by Skift in
May 2021. The survey "Back to
Hospitality: Getting Smarter and More Profitable in a Post-COVID
World," interviewed 4,467 global consumers and 537 hotel
executives (including 773 people and 160 hoteliers in North America). View the full global report
at:
https://www.oracle.com/industries/hospitality/post-covid-hospitality-world/.
Spending beyond the room
After a year of saving money
on lost vacations, travelers expressed a willingness to spend for a
great experience. Top services consumers have already or are
interested in purchasing from a hotel include:
- 92% - food from a hotel restaurant.
- 82% - drinks from a hotel bar.
- 83% - food takeout or delivery.
- 79% - tour or activity.
- 68% - tickets to an event.
- 77% - an extended stay.
- 63% - wellness or fitness services.
- 53% - subscription membership to hotel services.
- 39% - utilizing a hotel as a temporary office space.
Pandemic priorities have become permanent
practices
The survey shows that the features and amenities
that became a necessity during the pandemic will be the norm and
desire moving forward:
- 76% of hoteliers are providing contactless payment options, 36%
self-service check-in, 59% digital messaging services to limit
staff and guest interactions, and 42% smartphone-based room
keys.
- 67% of travelers hope to see increased frequency of cleaning
and disinfecting procedures remain the standard in hotels.
- 55% of consumers still want to see guest areas/public spaces
arranged for social distancing.
- 11% of consumers plan to dine solely via room service to
minimize contact. However, 30% plan to dine in hotel restaurants,
and 48% expect to do both.
Redefining the Vacation
Being stuck at home has
shifted consumer thinking around vacations and what is most
critical in terms of space and amenities:
- Rentals on the Rise:
-
- 54% of travelers said they plan to stay at a short-term rental
property in the next twelve months.
- 43% for the ability to stay socially distanced and minimize
COVID-19 risk.
- 57% chose the rental for the added privacy.
- 59% chose a rental for the access to a kitchen.
- Hoteliers rethinking services to win over guests:
-
- 59% of hotel executives agree that non-room revenue will
represent a growing share of their annual revenue in the next five
years. Nearly half (43%) said non-room sources of revenue could
represent as much as a quarter of their hospitality business in
2021 and another 24% said it could be between 26-50% of revenue
within five years.
- 48% of hotel executives are upgrading community space
amenities.
- 46% are considering promoting hotel-only amenities such as
restaurants, gyms and pools.
- 26% are looking to add more live events and social
activities.
- 28% are considering upgrading in-room kitchens to better
compete with short-term rentals.
Oracle Hospitality brings more than 40 years of experience in
providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and
regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. The report
asked questions of consumers and hotel executives to better
understand the key factors defining the post-pandemic hospitality
marketplace. The survey highlighted what consumers are looking for
in this fast-changing and highly competitive landscape and how
hoteliers are adapting to welcome back travelers. To learn more
view there report here or visit
www.oracle.com/Hospitality.
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of
applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle
Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please
visit us at oracle.com.
Trademarks
Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered
trademarks of Oracle Corporation.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/as-pandemic-concerns-fade-76-of-north-americans-plan-to-travel-soon-301317229.html
SOURCE Oracle