Now that guests are traveling again, they still want to be able to relax in their rooms and watch some good old-fashioned live TV. That is according to a white paper from DirecTV Hospitality that found that live TV programming still tops the list of preferences for guestroom entertainment.
For the white paper, “The State of Travel & Live TV in Hotels,” Hub Entertainment Research surveyed 1,200 U.S. consumers to determine how TV and video capabilities influence the choice of a hotel brand and property.
Travelers are ready to travel again, with 90% of respondents reporting that they will take at least as many overnight trips post-pandemic as they did before 2020.
“With the hospitality industry taking such a hit during the pandemic, it was reassuring to see that among the travelers surveyed, there were key guest segments who were more inclined to say they would stay more nights on the road after the pandemic than before, which is obviously great news as the travel and hospitality industries start to bounce back from the pandemic,” said Kim Twiggs, assistant VP, market development, commercial lodging & institutions, DirecTV.
When those travelers hit the road again, they want a TV in their rooms, with 79% of respondents saying that it is “essential” or “very important” to have one—and 90% said they watch live TV when traveling. It also a deciding factor for 83% of respondents, who said that they would choose one hotel over another if it offered easy access to local, live and on-demand TV and music.
“Our research shows that in-room entertainment is a selling point for consumers as they’re more likely to choose properties with a robust content offering,” she said. “It’s a worthy investment and hoteliers should be prepared to meet the demands of their guests. Now more than ever, we know hotel owners are looking for affordable ways to make quality improvements and upgrades to their properties.”
The company commissioned the report to help hotels understand how important on-demand content will become for their guests in a post-pandemic travel world. “The insights from the research can help hotel property owners and managers make strategic decisions about their in-room entertainment and help provide their guests with the right combination of entertainment options to make their stays more enjoyable,” said Twiggs.
Click here to access the “The State of Travel & Live TV in Hotels” report.
