The majority of consumers will stay at a hotel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, if they know it’s being cleaned with familiar products. This is according to a new survey by P&G Professional.
The away-from-home division of Procter and Gamble surveyed 850 travellers about how the virus has changed their expectations for the hospitality industry. Seventy per cent said they would go to a hotel that uses a personally recognizable and trusted brand of cleaning products. Fifty-five per cent of those polled said they would be willing to pay more for this experience; cleanliness and housekeeping procedures were ranked as the most important attributes for hotel guests, surpassing both the price of the room and location of the hotel.
More than 70 per cent of hotel guests said COVID-19 will have a medium to large impact on where they stay. Nearly half plan to return to a normal routine within the next three months.
“Now, more than ever, it is critical that businesses achieve and maintain a high level of cleanliness and disinfection to help ensure the health and safety of employees and guests,” says Paul Edmondson, Americas commercial director at P&G Professional. “Communicating the steps taken to achieve these new standards of clean is key to building trust with customers while rebuilding their business.”
The survey also found bathroom surfaces, high-touch objects, contamination from previous guests and presence of invisible pathogens are top concerns. More thorough and frequent cleaning is expected by 67 per cent of travellers and 61 per cent want to see more visible methods of cleaning, such as pamphlets and signage. Additionally, 57 per cent expect greater transparency around what hotels are doing to keep guests safe and rooms clean — both in-person and on the company website.
