Millennial Hotel Habits

Millennials (aged 21 to 34) have grown into the largest working-age demographic and a key target for the hotel industry. Choice Hotels International, a US hospitality holdings company, identifies the millennial habits that could reshape the industry in a new study, released this month.

• Experience Sells: Over a quarter of US millennials have stayed in a hotel to impress someone, according to the survey. As we noted in our Hotels & Millennials report, providing millennials with experiences they can share to boost their status among peers is as important as comfort. 

• Agent Resurgence: Choice Hotels was surprised to find that 35% of millennials would still use travel agents when deciding on a hotel. This is perhaps less surprising when considering the growth in convenient do-it-for-me services such as TaskRabbit. However, peer reviews are still important, reflected in the fact that 59% of millennials say online ratings and reviews determine their hotel selection. 

• Immediate Loyalty: Some 43% of millennials believe you should receive your first rewards programme benefit as soon as you sign up. Freebees matter – just under 10% see giveaways (such as snacks, sandwiches or a to-go breakfast) as more important than opportunities for increased loyalty or reward points. See Redefining Consumer Loyalty for Digital Natives for deep analysis on the evolution of loyalty programmes.
  
  
• Foodie Fanatics: Millennials are known for their adventurous approach to food, and over three-quarters are even more adventurous about eating and drinking when travelling than when at home.