The 2013 Global Hotel Guest Survey conducted by specialist hotel research consultancy, BDRC Continental, reveals significant changes to the structure of the market, hotel guest behaviour and the hierarchy of hotel brands operating in Britain.
Commenting on the British Hotel Guest Survey results, Matt Costin, Director at BDRC Continental, says:
“This year’s report highlights the dynamism of the hotel sector: significant shifts in the structure of market demand, fluctuations in the overall hierarchy of brand performance, and improving technology which is changing consumer behaviour. As ever, it is vital for senior decision-makers to understand the business implications of these changes and to put the voice of the customer at the heart of their strategic decision-making.”
The Structure of Market Demand
- A summer jam-packed with major events helped make 2012 an excellent year for the domestic British short-break market, with demand soaring by 8 million room nights to 43 million.
- By contrast, the report highlights a depressed business transient and residential conference market, with demand contracting by 5 million room nights to 53 million.
- The combined impact of a strong domestic leisure market and a weaker business market was a slight contraction in total domestic room nights to 106 million.
Hotel Brand Performance
- Hilton remains the market-leading brand on a composite measure of brand performance, but Whitbread’s budget brand Premier Inn continues its rapid progress and moves into 2nd place, also becoming the most widely used brand for business stays.
- BDRC Continental’s award for ‘Most Improved Brand’ performance goes to Accor’s mid-market brand, Mercure, which has seen significant increases in consumer awareness since its recent expansion in Britain.
- InterContinental and Hyatt are, respectively, the No.1 brands for their own guests’ ratings on the ‘likelihood to recommend’ measure, for business and leisure.
The Impact of Technology & Social Media
- A key theme of the report is the coming of age of mobile technology and social media as channels for interaction between guests and hotels:
- 82% of British business travellers own a mobile device that gives them internet access.
- Improvements in functionality, as well as the increase in adoption, are leading to much more widespread use of mobile technology to search for hotels, review facilities, and making or changing bookings.
- 83% of British business travellers now engage with social media.
- Social media is used by more than 1 in 5 British business travellers when researching hotel choices.
- Free wifi in the hotel is the No.1 functional product / service priority for business guests
The 2013 British Hotel Guest Survey
This release uses findings from The 2013 British Hotel Guest Survey by BDRC Continental, which was conducted amongst 1,000 business travellers and 1,000 leisure travellers, representative of the hotel-staying British population. The fieldwork took place in February 2013.
Equivalent surveys are conducted by BDRC Continental in 35 of the world’s most significant hotel markets, across 5 continents.
About BDRC Continental
BDRC Continental is an award-winning insight agency that helps its clients get closer to their customers by translating data into actionable business intelligence. This is done through their range of market-leading insight tools, a dedicated suite of advanced analytics and over two decades of experience working with leading service sector brands across the globe.
Established in 1991, BDRC has an unrivalled reputation as a full service research consultancy with specialist expertise across a number of sectors including hotels, meetings & hospitality, financial services, media & advertising, Government & not for profit, culture & leisure, tourism, travel & transport and sports & sponsorship. As well as undertaking bespoke research for a wide variety of clients, BDRC conducts a number of syndicated studies and have developed proprietary techniques including Tracktion, Grapevine, Service Intensity, the Business Opinion Omnibus, SME Finance Monitor and ZMET Visionary Thinking.
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