Hotels Get Healthy, Techy and Green
-- Tradeshow Week, 7/7/2008
Hotels are working hard to make you feel like you're at home. The American Hotel & Lodging Assn. released its biennial 2008 Lodging Survey, showing advances with in-room technology, healthy living and efforts to make hotels more sustainable.
The survey analyzed research and feedback from more than 10,000 U.S. hotel properties in more than 100 areas, including in-room amenities, security and technology features, food and beverage options, number of beds, guest services and property offerings. The survey was funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation and conducted by Smith Travel Research.
Joseph A. McInerney, AH&LA president and CEO, said the survey identified key trends that will affect the hotel and lodging industry in the upcoming years.
One of those changing trends is technological advances in hotel rooms. The survey found that wireless Internet access is offered in 91 percent of responding hotels, up 35 percent from 2004. The study also found that charging for in-room Internet use is declining. Only 16 percent of responding hotels said they charged for this feature, down from 19 percent in 2006.
In addition, the survey found that hotels are getting healthier in their amenities and offerings. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they now offer healthy menu options, while 48 percent offer vegetarian meals. Fitness facilities are available in 79 percent of properties with 77 percent of those offering the facilities as complimentary. Allergy-free hotel rooms also are now available in 24 percent of responding hotels.
As for green initiatives and sustainability, the survey found that 68 percent of respondents reported using energy-efficient lighting, while 21 percent said they planned to incorporate Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standards in their properties within the next 12 months. Twenty percent of respondents said they incorporated LEED elements in the past 12 months.
“We are thrilled that this study has been recognized as one of the most comprehensive analyses of the total domestic lodging industry and has been since the Educational Foundation began its funding in 1998,” said Joori Jeon, president and COO of AH&LEF.
