IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, along with SAMHI Pvt. Ltd, undertook an in-depth consumer survey to better understand the needs and expectations of the road warriors in India. The survey revealed that while 54% of the respondents are already enrolled in a hotel loyalty programme, an impressive 74% see benefits in enrolling in a loyalty programme.
The survey was conducted by Nielsen India in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad with 25-44 year old frequent travellers, who travel largely for business across India and seek mid-market hotel accommodation. The survey also revealed, larger percentage of the respondents in Bangalore (62%), Hyderabad (58%) and Delhi (57%) are enrolled in a hotel loyalty programme. Among those already enrolled in a hotel loyalty programme, 56% stated that the benefits offered by the programme were by far the most valuable aspect of the loyalty programme followed by ease of redemption (24%) and global network (20%).
Besides a strong loyalty program, the road warriors also give importance to the overall reputation and status of the hotel brand. 32% of respondents stated the reputation and status of the brand more important than the price. Thus, though the midscale travellers plan their travel and hotel stay around a certain budget, quality and consistency of service reflected in the brand experience has emerged as a more important consideration for the travellers who seek value over price.
