Hotels told to check premises are safe to encourage repeat business
Hotels that are benefitting from increased trade during the 'staycation' summer risk losing repeat trade if they don't pay attention to health and safety, warns auditor Check Safety First.
A survey of 2,000 holidaymakers by Opinion Matters found that 88 per cent of guests would not return to a hotel where they'd had an accident or had contracted an illness and poor hotel accommodation was cited as the main reason for spoiling a holiday for 58 per cent of people.
Mark Harrington, chief executive at Check Safety First, which commissioned the research said: “UK hotels may be benefiting from the ‘staycation’ phenomenon this year, but will struggle to maintain repeat business when the economy recovers if they don’t take the wellbeing of their guests seriously.”
The research also found that half of holidaymakers are unclear about the star rating system when they book holiday accommodation. The Common Standards star rating system, created in 2005 is currently being reviewed by VisitEngland to ensure it remains relevant and consumer-focused.
"Hoteliers should bear this in mind so they don’t drive away repeat business because guests don’t get the kind of experience they expected at their chosen hotel,” said Harrington.
