The April 2014 ACSI Travel Index report on hotels, Internet travel sites and airlines was revealed on Tuesday, designed to serve as an indicator of customer satisfaction among the three industries.
The report?based on interviews with 7,445 randomly selected customers of the three industries between Oct. 21, 2013 and March 11, 2014?indicates that guests are less satisfied with the hotel experience than they were when the 2013 report was conducted.
On the other hand, guests are happier with hotel websites than online travel agencies and airlines when it comes to the booking process itself.
The Hotel Experience
According to the report, customer satisfaction with hotels has dropped 3 percent to an average ACSI score of 75 over the past year.
The question is: Why?
According to ACSI Managing Director David VanAmburg, there are a few reasons for the decline in guest satisfaction.
For one, rates have generally increased in the last year, but the availability and quality of amenities, Internet service and in-room entertainment have remained the same or declined.
Not only have rates increased, but the hotel industry has generally been offering fewer discounts and incentives, as well.
?We?ve seen the industry as a whole since the (2008-2009) recession do a really good job of offering discounts and incentives,? VanAmburg said. ?As the economy has improved, hotels have been able to back away from that a bit.?
Hotel chains catering to economy and midscale markets have generally scored worse in guest satisfaction. For example, Best Western, Choice and Wyndham each registered an ACSI score of 74 or worse, below the average score of 75.
?Generally, when you see a drop in the value proposition (the value of the experience) it tends to impact the discount brands more than it does the luxury brands,? VanAmburg said.
When rates increase at discount brands, ?that has a bigger impact on you as a guest because price is a bigger factor in why you are picking that brand,? VanAmburg added.
On the flip side, chains that focus on upscale and luxury markets like Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt tend to score higher, even when rates increase, because guests don?t mind paying more money at these brands (and expect to pay more) if they are receiving better accommodation, amenities and service. For example, Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, luxury brands from Marriott International, topped all brands in guest satisfaction, registering ACSI scores of 86 and 83, respectively.
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Source: Ryan Rudnansky (2014). Report: Guest Satisfaction Down at Hotels, Travel Pulse http://www.travelpulse.com/news/hotels-and-resorts/report-guest-satisfaction-down-at-hotels.html published Apr 22, 2014. Viewed Apr 24, 2014.