SiteMInder research reveals a new type of traveller has emerged through COVID pandemic

Coinciding with its 15th year in business this week, SiteMinder, a global leading open hotel commerce platform, has released its consumer research The Dynamic Traveller: A New Era of Hotel Guest which reveals that a traveller with higher expectations, driven by fresh experiences and the need to be more in control of their stay, has developed in the last 18 months.

According to the survey of approximately 7,000 travellers internationally, including 804 in Australia, 52% of travellers globally and 54% of Australian travellers expect higher accommodation standards in comparison to before the pandemic.

The survey also showed that 60% of Australian travellers plan to travel either the same amount or more than prior to COVID in the coming year.

Highlighting their new, heightened need for control, of the 14 potential factors that influence where travellers are currently booking, accommodation that can be freely cancelled and modified is one of the top two priorities for almost a third of travellers globally. In Australia, which has been impacted by snap lockdowns throughout the pandemic, a flexible approach to bookings is a top two priority for over 45%, while in Spain, the UK and France, it's a key factor for over 40%.

Mark Renshaw, Chief Marketing Officer at SiteMinder commented "Australian travellers, like many around the world, have made a dramatic switch from international travel to staycations, road trips and domestic holidays, and many are clearly planning to ramp up their travel plans once restrictions ease. Their pent-up travel desires mean, however, that their demands over the coming year will be unrelenting and they will not be forgiving of dropped or otherwise average standards. There are material consequences for hotels that aren't prepared, including lost business, a tarnished brand and negative online reviews, which are the last things hoteliers need after the 18 months they've endured."

Australians' demand for flexibility doesn't quite extend to their professional life, however, with more than half (54%) definitely not planning to work during an upcoming trip, highlighting the need for workplaces and employers to ensure no assumptions are made about new broad-sweeping policies related to workations being well-received by everyone.

Renshaw continued "SiteMinder's latest findings are yet another reminder that the travel and hotel sectors have far from disappeared. They have merely changed in the face of disruption and will continue to change in the coming months and beyond."

Other findings from the Australian survey include:

• Nearly four out of five Australian travellers are very supportive (9%), supportive (33%) or indifferent (37%) about their personal data being used to better their stay, such as through personalised marketing or experiential efforts. Only 7% of Australian travellers are strongly opposed to their data being used in this way.

• When sharing payment information, only 12% of Australian travellers trust accommodation providers with their data a lot, while over a third either do not trust accommodation providers much (24%) or at all (10%).

• Compared to prior to Covid, 3% more of Australian travellers now intend to stay in a holiday park or camping site on their next trip, 2% more in a vacation rental, 2% more in a B&B, and 4% less in a big chain or resort.

The Dynamic Traveller: A New Era of Hotel Guest can be downloaded here.