Small Luxury Hotels Survey Predicts Rise in Luxury Travel

Luxury travel in both the business and leisure segments is set to increase over the next 12 months, according to the results of a survey released by Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The survey was targeted at members of The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the luxury brand’s customer recognition program. Forty-one percent of respondents said they expected to have more disposable income in the next year, with 11 percent saying they expect to see a significant increase.

Members of The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World are high net worth, frequent travelers and are well placed to offer insights into the behavior of affluent consumers. Over half of respondents have a household income of over $100,000 (58 percent) and, overall, one third have an income of over $200,000.

Thirty-one percent of Club Members who responded to the survey spend over three weeks staying at hotels every year and 10 percent stay at hotels over 30 nights every year on holiday. Thirteen percent of respondents said they stay at hotels on business over 30 nights every year.

The survey was coordinated by PricewaterhouseCoopers and was initiated to assess current consumer sentiment and to gain insights into travel plans for the next 12 months following the recent global economic downturn. Over 7,500 members of The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World responded to the survey.

Frequency of travel, a key sign of recovery, is increasing with 41 percent of respondents revealing that they are planning to go on holiday four times or more this year, and nearly half (45 percent) saying that they will travel four times or more for business. Nearly one quarter (23 percent) said this will mean an increase in their business travel over the next 12 months.

In terms of researching hotels, even the most discerning travelers are jumping online with over 84 percent of respondents choosing http://www.slh.com/ over any other option. Even the most affluent and discerning travelers are looking for value for money with over two-thirds (67 percent) saying that they search for the best hotel rates on the Internet.

The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World has over 80,000 members worldwide and was relaunched recently to offer members a range of additional benefits including a complimentary continental breakfast, upgrade on arrival subject to availability and late check-out. Membership is complimentary and travelers can sign up online at http://www.clubslh.com/ . Room upgrades are seen as a major benefit for Club Members with nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents saying that this is the perk they most value.