NEW YORK, Dec 1 — When it comes to satisfying the demands of the world’s wealthiest, high maintenance travellers, the Ritz-Carlton hotel brand is tops.
That’s according to a global survey that polled 3,900 consumers from seven countries around the world who represent the top 10 per cent of households by annual income.
In the 2018 Global Hotels Luxury Brand Status Index, published by the New York-based Luxury Institute, respondents in China, Japan, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the US were asked to rate 40 luxury hotel brands on quality, exclusivity, social status and the ability to make guests feel special.
For example, respondents were asked to assign a rating of 0-10 on statements like “This hotel is truly unique and exclusive,” and “This hotel is visited by people who are admired and respected.”
More than the Four Seasons, Fairmont, Oberoi, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula and Waldorf Astoria, the Ritz-Carlton received the most favourable rating.
The report also shed light on the travel habits of the world’s most affluent travellers, for whom money is no object.
On average, wealthy travellers spend an average of 11 nights per year in luxury properties. The countries most likely to report having stayed at a luxury hotel in the past year are China (88 per cent), Italy (83 per cent) and the UK (81 per cent).
The majority cited leisure as the primary reason for their stay (82 per cent), and 66 per cent reported travelling with a spouse or partner, while 9 per cent said they travel for business and 14 per cent said they were solo travellers. — AFP-Relaxnews
