As peak summer travel season approaches, Wag!, a mobile-first platform that connects pet parents with professional pet caregivers for boarding, sitting, walking and drop-ins, surveyed pet parents nationwide to understand the obstacles they face when traveling with their four-legged family members. Between transit restrictions, hotel limitations and narrowed dining options, there is stress abound for pet parents planning a trip.
Wag! polled 1,002 respondents and found that 70% of frequent travelers almost always seek out pet-friendly hotels, and 94% would trade away at least one common amenity—like a hotel bar—in exchange for more pet-friendly policies. The majority of respondents would even trade away concierge services and gym access.
Some other key highlights include:
- Putting pet needs ahead of your own: 26% of pet parents rank “pet friendly” as the top hotel attribute, ahead of service, convenience, comfort and even affordability.
- The struggle is real: 84% have encountered at least one issue with overnight accommodations when traveling with their dog or cat.
- Transportation proves troublesome: 56% of frequent travelers have experienced confusion or other issues with the location of their dog on a plane.
- Because they’re worth it: 36% would pay more than $100 per night extra for pet-friendly hotel accommodations.
- Removing the hurdles would make a world of difference: If they had no obstacles in doing so, 59% would bring their pets when traveling all or most of the time.
Wag! recently partnered with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to offer a bevy of pet-friendly benefits on-site—a first for a major hotel brand. “Wag!’s survey findings reinforce what we continue to hear from our guests—that meaningful pet offerings and amenities are more important than ever for pet parents,” said Kathleen Reidenbach, chief commercial officer, Kimpton. “At Kimpton, we are proud of our best-in-class pet amenities, which now include on-property and at-home walks and drop-ins through our partnership with Wag!”