Traveller expectations not met

Survey shows gap between what business travellers want, and what advertisers are delivering

Jasons recently conducted two surveys that examined both travellers’ expectations and the offerings of accommodation operators’ who advertise in Jasons Business Traveller New Zealand Accommodation Directory.

The majority of advertisers overwhelmingly saw ‘a comfortable bed’ and ‘location’ as the key factors in winning business customers, followed by ‘car parking’ and ‘free Internet and newspapers’.

When asked to choose the most important features of accommodation, 81% of business travellers also responded with ‘location, location, location’! This was then followed by ‘a comfortable bed’, then ‘free Internet and newspapers’, and a place to eat on site. The importance of having food available on site was underestimated by advertisers, however.

Security was a consideration for 25% of travellers, particularly among female respondents. And according to Jasons General Manager Operations, Mary Ansell (herself a frequent traveller for work) her own experience supports these findings. “When I travel, security is always high on my radar. I always lock the door and chain when I'm in the room and prefer to be upstairs in the property where possible.”

When it came to booking accommodation online, business travellers said the deciding factors of choosing one site over another, were ‘the ability to compare options in one place’ and ‘knowing all costs upfront’. Offering plenty of information and photos of the property was also considered to be very important to almost a quarter of those surveyed.

Reflecting traveller opinions, 70% of advertisers also saw the most important factor as knowing the costs upfront, and 41% believed the key to success was offering plenty of photos and other information.

With more than 90% of business travellers surveyed now booking online, it is increasingly important for accommodation operators to offer plenty of information, exclusive incentives, and transparency in their fee structure. Says Jasons CEO Matthew Mayne, “No one wants to pay more than they need to We hope travellers feel confident about booking online with Jasons Travel Media, and knowing there are no fees, commissions or hidden costs when they book.”

ENDS

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