Today, travelers tick in their must-have list a free Wi-Fi connection whenever they check in in a hotel. A Wi-Fi connection must be one of the perks that travelers get just like a hot water or fully air-conditioned room, a cable TV network, and so on.
NY Times shared the significant comment of one of their interviewees. Brian Watkins, a chief executive of the jewelry company Ritani, said that a Wi-Fi fee is comparable to baggage fees to airlines and to phones in the 80s. "It's found money," he said. Mr. Watkins will always bring with him a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot whenever he is on business trips to avoid extra charges in hotels. Sometimes, hotels would charge their customers for using its Wi-Fi to a maximum of $25 per day. According to him, nicer hotels have expensive rate for Wi-Fi charges.
For quite some time, one of the standard perk of a limited service hotel is a free internet access. But at present the hotel companies have seen an increasing array of laptops including smartphones that are making use of free Wi-Fi, thus revenues that they get from in-room telephone services and entertainments have decreased.
However, tourists are no longer willing to pay extra charges for internet access as they are accustomed to free Wi-Fi at the restaurants, cafes, and even airports.
Ubergizmo echoes the report of NY Times. In addition, it reports the sentiment of Loews Hotels & Resorts stating that the usual complain of the hotel's guests is the charges incurred when making use of the internet. When the said hotel company removed the fee, it increased their rating in customer satisfaction. However, several hotels who are concerned with their profit margin rather address the concern by creating a loyalty program wherein only members could get free Wi-Fi access.
On a different note, USA Today said that a Wi-Fi to go has recently been one of the amenities that tourists won't find in many hotels. This is only offered by Room Mate hotels in Europe and America. This is one of the hotel's complimentary features. This can be availed when you make reservation at the front desk or via their website. The said router can accommodated 5 devises- smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Perhaps, to get a win-win situation, hotels can either make use of loyalty program or a complimentary feature to draw more guests in their company.
