72% of U.S. hotel owners plan to respond to both positive & negative online guest reviews in 2011

On February 17th, TripAdvisor announced the findings of its first "Accommodation Owners Survey"  of more than 1,000 U.S. accommodation owners -- hoteliers, B&B owners and innkeepers -- who revealed their plans to attract travelers in 2011 and increase repeat customers.

As per the social-media related findings:

A. Responding to Online Guest Reviews in 2011

• 72 percent will respond to both positive and negative reviews.
• 14 percent will respond only to negative reviews.
• 13 percent will respond only to positive reviews.
• One percent have no plans to respond to reviews.

B. Getting Noticed Online with Photos

• According to the survey, 10 percent of respondents said they posted 11-20 photos of each of their properties on TripAdvisor last year.
• Many accommodation owners are planning to increase the number of photos per property in 2011, as the number of respondents planning to post 11-20 photos per property on TripAdvisor in 2011 rose to 26 percent. Still, the majority of owners (67 percent) said they will post 1-10 photos per property this year.

C. Social media budget

Most owners also appear to be embracing online engagement with consumers, as 57 percent expect their social media marketing budgets to increase this year versus last year. Thirty-seven percent with social media budgets expect them to stay the same, and only six percent anticipate social media budget cuts. Meanwhile, virtually all owners surveyed (99 percent) plan to respond to online guest reviews.

Survey respondents also offered insights into a range of other hospitality industry trends, from mobile marketing to plans to implement green programs this year.

Other interesting findings include:

D. Most Accommodations Offering Free In-Room Internet Access

Accommodation owners seem to be meeting a key consumer demand—staying connected while traveling:

• 91 percent of respondents said that they will offer in-room Internet access as a free amenity in 2011.
• Five percent of respondents will offer in-room Internet access for a fee this year.
• Four percent said they had no plans to offer in-room Internet access.

E. Mobile Marketing is a Growing Trend

• 27 percent of survey respondents plan to launch programs, for the first time in 2011, to engage with travelers using mobile devices.
• Another 27 percent indicated that they had offered such programs last year and will continue to do so this year.
• 46 percent have no plans to offer programs to engage travelers using mobile devices in 2011.

F. Deals Owners Plan to Use Most Often This Year to Attract Guests

• Discounts on rooms – 61%
• Special amenities – 36%
• Rewards points – 29%
• Deals on nearby attractions – 23%
• Free night's stay with booking – 16%

G. Few Planning to Charge Consumers Additional Fees

• According to the survey, 94 percent have no plans to charge consumers additional fees for amenities.
• Six percent, however, do plan to add fees for such items.

H. Eco-Friendly Programs on the Rise in 2011

• 47 percent of travelers take eco-friendly factors into consideration when making travel plans.
• Environmental concerns are also an important factor for owners, as 70 percent of survey respondents plan to offer programs in 2011 to reduce their impact on the environment.
• By contrast, 30 percent of accommodation owners have no plans to implement such programs.

"TripAdvisor's first annual Accommodation Owners Survey suggests that the hotel industry is still being affected by a slow economy, as the majority of respondents don't foresee room rate increases this year," said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. "Yet, savvy hoteliers are attempting to stand apart from the crowd by embracing social media, launching mobile marketing features and offering the programs consumers demand most."

Source: TripAdvisor