NE BUSINESS BUREAU
MUMBAI, MARCH 6
Nearly a quarter of India’s women professionals or 23% travel at least once a month for business, compared to just 7% who travel solely for leisure with the same frequency, according to new research from Indian Hotels Company (IHCL).
According to the research amongst over 1,000 regular women travellers in India and overseas, safety and security topped the list whilst selecting a hotel. The findings reinforce that women are looking at hotels supporting and facilitating a seamless stay experience through a more thoughtful service approach. Besides these re-assurances, 78% of women travellers prioritize local cuisines when travelling, while 69% expect healthier dining options and 61% would prefer smaller, ‘tasting’ portions. While other services such as women butler options (for 61%) and women personal shoppers (69%) could also influence their choice of hotels, as per the findings.
Commenting on this, Renu Basu, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Marketing, IHCL said, “We, as a global organisation, not only recognise the contribution of women in the industry and society at large, but are also cognizant of their increasing value as a growing influence on business. Women are responsible for up to 85% of all consumer purchases and play a very significant role in influencing business and leisure travel. Hence, responding to their thoughts and needs is an absolute priority for us. Brands that make the effort to actively and holistically engage with women travellers will definitely stand to gain over the coming decades.”
Other research suggests that woman consumers apply more scrutiny to their purchase decisions and – in turn – subsequently remain more loyal to their brands of choice. Globally, for instance, 27% of women would stick to a preferred brand regardless of price, quality, convenience or brand promises, compared to just 21% of men.
Such insights have clear implications for the travel and hospitality industry; 76% of women are interested in earning points on loyalty programmes (69% of men) and 40% of women currently participate in restaurant loyalty programs (34% men).
According to IHCL data, women traveller volumes are growing at twice the rate of their male counterparts. Since 2015, IHCL hotels have seen a growth of 33% in the number of women travellers’ year-on-year; in terms of contribution, today, women guests account for nearly 34% of the rooms business.
