Wi-Fi is Biggest Tech Demand, Says Report on U.S. Hotels
August 20, 2008
By Marshall Krantz
Wireless Internet access, or Wi-Fi, is nearly pervasive at U.S. hotels, according to a new survey of hotel executives conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Eighty-six percent of hotels now offer Wi-Fi, and about one-fifth of the remaining hotels plans to add the service within the next five years, according to the survey "Current and Future Use of Technology in the Hospitality Industry," released in June. Wi-Fi deployment is about equal at chain hotels versus independent hotels (87% vs. 84%).
The report did not cover the percentage of hotels that provide free Wi-Fi versus those that charge a fee for the service. But AH&LA's 2008 Lodging Survey, also released in June, found that 16 percent of hotels charge for in-room Internet access compared with 19 percent in 2006 and 22 percent in 2004.
By far,Wi-Fi is the most common IT hotels offer to guests; 82 percent of lodging execs said guests demand Wi-Fi more than any other high-tech amenity.
In-room entertainment systems ranked second (46.7%), followed by lobby-based Internet kiosks (36.5%), lobby-based airline check-in kiosks (35.7%), in-room check-out (27.9 %), check-in/check-out infrastructure for handheld devices (22.5%), and online check-in/check-out (13.5%).
Overall, chain hotels provide more tech amenities than independent hotels. For example, almost twice as many chain hotels provide on-site kiosks for airline check-in than independent hotels. Chain properties are also more likely than independent properties to offer room check-in/check-out kiosks in their lobbies, online room check-in/check-out, in-room check-out, and lobby-based Internet kiosks.
The leading technology hoteliers plan to implement within the next five years is in-room entertainment systems (31%). That is being followed, in a three-way tie, by Wi-Fi hotspots, check-in/checkout infrastructure for handheld devices, and in-room check-out (21% each). Check-in/check-out kiosks in lobbies (20%) and online check-in/check-out (18%) round out the list.
The AH&LA survey was based on e-mailed responses by 244 hotel executives, representing a four-percent response rate.
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