Wooing the Woman Traveller

The hospitality industry continues to scratch its collective head trying to figure out this species and keep them happy. So what do women business travellers really want? Anupama P Shenoy attempts to find out…

Till about a decade back, corporate women travellers were treated merely as male travellers of a different sex. Hotels had very little to offer specific to the needs of women. Things are different now – entire floors are dedicated to women; their rooms have enhanced security; there are female housekeeping staff and lady butlers for them; often a basket of cosmetic and hair products welcome them to their rooms; and the list goes on. So what changed in the interregnum? What made the hospitality industry suddenly wake up to the existence of the ‘single lady traveller’?

For one thing, it was a rapidly increasing clientele. Consider this: the number of women business travellers across the globe has at least quadrupled over a decade. A survey conducted in March 2003 by the Preston Robert Tisch Centre For Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University, titled Coming of Age: The Continuing Evolution of Female Business Travellers, estimates that 40 per cent of all business travellers in the US are women. In fact, there are currently six women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies, an improvement over two in 2000 and just one in 1995. It was almost as if career women had pulled up their sleeves and said to themselves that it was time to control the reins. The corporate world was flooded with women in the senior management bracket, even CEOs on fire-fighting missions who would regularly fly across the globe and, of course, check into the best five-star hotels.

The consensus was that the segment of women business travellers is harder to please but it is a group which is impossible to ignore being tremendously lucrative. Every player knows that investing in making their hotel more women-friendly is worth the effort.

“The single lady traveller is a fast growing niche market and has tremendous potential,” says Farhat Jamal, General Manager, Taj Land’s End, Mumbai. The Taj Land’s End began to focus on the segment only around two or three years ago. He quotes the global figures - “In 2004 women in North America alone are contributing to 44 per cent of global business travel. The number of women travellers in the Far East have risen over a decade from one million to 4.7 million - this includes leisure travel as well, but this part of the world has a very large number of single working women.”

A large majority of foreign guests at Indian hotels in this segment are predominantly from America and the Far East. Some Indian women executives prefer day trips and overnight stays across cities. Others spend an average of two to three days.

When a woman chooses to stay at a five-star hotel, she is opting for a safe, reliable and comfortable home away from home. Most check into one that has better connectivity and a safe, friendly environment, more so if they are new to the city. That’s when travelling around becomes a sensitive issue, especially in places like Delhi with its prohibitive taxi fares and unpleasant taxi drivers. Guests truly appreciate the free airport transfers and the hotel car service.

“Women generally have a taste for the finer things of life as compared to men,” says Priya D’Cunha, marketing manager, The Oberoi Mumbai. “Men are price-oriented; women are value-oriented. They are concerned about the quality of service. They are even willing to pay more for that sense of comfort and security.”

Ajay Manikeri, director sales, InterContinental, Marine Drive, Mumbai makes the point in a slightly different manner. “Every little thing matters to a woman. From the painting on the wall in the room to the brand of toiletries to the sensitivity of the staff at the hotel,” he says.

MY SPACE

Not surprising then that corporate woman travellers have floors or entire sections/wings dedicated to them. Sometimes, as with The Oberoi and The Park, they are non-smoking floors. In most cases, a single lady guest is automatically checked into the women’s section. The ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai upgrades her to their women’s wing at the Sheraton Towers. This largely overcomes security concerns and allows the hotel to offer them an array of tempting personalised services. A Guest Relations Executive escorts them to their rooms at check-in or during the late hours. And of course, their room numbers and identity are kept private.

Those who choose not to live on the women’s floor - usually a higher floor - are allotted rooms closer to the elevator so that they do not have to walk down long corridors at night.

Security cameras at every corner pan the entire floor. Plus security personnel and floor managers do their rounds on the floor especially at night. The Orchid has a high-tech security system called the ‘Eye’ that records all activities on the floor and alarms the security if the need be. They also have a key card system that can list the details of the last 100 entries into any room. Similarly, The Park has electronic key cards that record the time at which the room door is opened or shut. The InterContinental boasts of Hafele dialock systems for ensured security and the key sticks to every room are only with the guest and the General Manager or the Duty Manager at that particular shift. The women executive rooms at the Taj President, Mumbai have a videophone and the hotel never allots an interconnecting room to a single lady traveller.

At most hotels the telephone operator screens every incoming call before she puts it through. The Park Hotels even disallows room-to-room dialling past 10 pm.

“What a woman is looking for most is physical safety,” says Farhat Jamal, General Manager, Taj Land’s End. “That is the most important aspect. So the hotel has to be located in a safe neighbourhood. There’s also the element of psychological safety, which implies their comfort with the hotel and its culture. It’s the small touches that go a long way. Like say, a woman’s baggage has been misplaced by the airline, then the hotel staff will help her put together an outfit if she’s late for a business meeting and try to make her feel comfortable in that situation.”

Deepa Dey, Director, Corporate Communications, The Park Group of Hotels recalls her stay at the ITC Hyderabad four years ago. “I was on a two-night trip to meet the media and a riot broke out, shutting the entire city down. Since I was alone and it was the first time in that city, I was really worried. But the hotel staff helped me with getting contact numbers of the journalists. I had to reschedule appointments because we were advised not to step out of the hotel. The Lobby Manager was checking on me from time to time, which really helped in that situation. They assured me that they would safely get me to the airport on time, and they did.”

The need for security differs from city to city, opines Mubina Ansari, VP, Content & Communication, Star TV. “If I were to travel to Goa, I would consider staying at a three-star, but that would be unthinkable in UP. So the image of the city is just as important.” Ansari travels around the country at least a couple of times a month and tries to involve an element of fun in her business trip. “If I have even a couple of hours off from work, I would go shopping or check out a new cuisine or a new restaurant.” On a trip to Bangalore when she had stayed at The Leela she opted for a massage in her room. “But, I don’t see the five-stars doing anything unusual. Most hotel deals are similar, with maybe one having something slightly different from the others. But that does not become a major factor in choosing it over the others. I think hotels are getting pretty much mechanical about what they do.”

Abha Kapoor, Director, K&J Placement Consultants, goes on short trips to Delhi and Bangalore at least once in six weeks. She gets her travel agent to choose her a hotel depending on its location and comfort factor. “I always check-in to the Executive Floor. Facilities like the health club and pool are also important to me. The service is usually impeccable at all five-star chains but among Indian hotels I prefer the Taj.”

AT YOUR SERVICE

Women need a balance between work and pleasure. That’s the hook for hotels to tempt them. The welcome drink, fruit or cookie and chocolate basket apart, some hotels, such as the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai offers women a free welcome massage in their room.

Every single room on the women’s executive floor is designed to cater to her needs - from broadband internet on a wide work desk to a satin bathrobe. These floors have only female staff for housekeeping and lady butlers on call round the clock. The butlers are trained to play the perfect Jeeves. They are adept at packing and unpacking, shopping for your gifts and even helping with draping a saree if the need be. “Some women guests like a second opinion when dressing up for the evening or picking up local gifts for friends and relatives,” explains D’Cunha. “But the best thing about a lady butler is that a woman can be relaxed in her bathrobe or night gown when she calls for breakfast. She’s more relaxed when she’s getting ready for work.”

If a child accompanies a woman guest, babysitting facilities are made available at all hotels. The Park even takes children to movies or the zoo because children get bored easily in the hotel room when their mother’s at work. The Park, Bangalore also has the option of a baby cot for your child.

Adds D’Cunha, “What matters in this industry is the differentiating factor.” The best approach for a hotel is to provide an amenity unlike the others. “We’re constantly looking at innovative ideas and new amenities that we can provide a guest,” he says.

THE YIN ELEMENT

The more interesting aspect of the women’s rooms is the ‘feminine touch’. The upholstery is in soft, pastel shades. The InterContinental provides stress-free pillows. Among the commonly available amenities across hotels are flower arrangements in the room, a coffee maker, softer towels, skirt hangers, salon strength (powerful) hair dryers, an illuminated magnified mirror, women’s glossies alongside business magazines and newspapers, nail file, nail paint remover, safety pins, moisturiser, beauty soap, bath robe, bathroom slippers, sanitary towels…

Land’s End adds in a sunscreen, peach milk moisturiser, deep cleansing milk, face wash, a loofah and a satin bathrobe. Every hotel sets a basket of cosmetic and hair products of a well-known brand. Only the brands differ, sometimes - Biotique at The Oberoi, Bvlgari at the InterContinental, Lakme at the Taj Land’s End, Biotique at the Taj President, Biotique at the Orchid, the internationally renowned Molten Brown and Biotique at the ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton and Kama at The Park.

The specialities in the Kama basket are the bath sizzlers, bath salts and a scented candle. The Orchid adds in a disposable undergarment (just in case!), a nailbrush, two saree clips, nail buffer, a pocket mirror and a nail cutter. At the President, they add in a lip balm, cleansing milk, body gel, loofah, make-up towel, a dressing gown, and even a teddy bear and a small pink pillow if you’re a long staying guest. The Sheraton Towers offers Biotique products, a silk pouch, lakme nail paint, face freshener, tweezers, face tissues, lip balm, an entangling comb, loofah and cotton balls to remove make-up. The ITC One rooms at the Grand Maratha also pack in Molten Brown bath salts, shower gel, moisturiser and mouth wash. Their closets are lined with a golden satin padded hanger, a Yukata raw silk robe and silk slippers.

Those staying at the InterContinental can unwind under a rain shower. The Park is also soon introducing shower options - a massage shower (water can be regulated to massage the legs and back) and a rain shower (as gentle and soothing as standing in the rain).

As part of the turn down service, The Park sets a small vial of Kama aromatherapy oil (titled ‘peace’ and ‘dreams’) alongside a flower, which can be used as a bath oil or just a fragrance on your pulse points. At the executive suites at The Park, Chennai, you can choose from a range of aromatherapy oils and aromatic bath sizzlers. They also offer massages at minimal cost.

SHELL CAL

Gone are the days when women guests would head straight to a beauty salon when they had time to spare. With growing awareness about health and fitness, hotels now provide a well-equipped, round-the-clock gym and pool facilities as part of the package. The Land’s End even slips in a “healthy, low-cal menu” into women executive rooms. “Not to say that men don’t need to eat low cal food,” Jamal is quick to add.

And then there are the spas to relax tense nerves. Sauna, steam, Jacuzzi, massages…the ITC Hotels offer single lady travellers a 10 per cent discount at the Wellness Centre. The Park charges a nominal amount for a massage in your room - a welcome change, according to Ansari, because it’s more comfortable and private.

LIVING IN STYLE

On average, the occupancy of this segment varies across hotels. The Oberoi has recorded an increase of over 20 per cent in this segment over the last two years. Taj Land’s End in suburban Mumbai accounts an 80 per cent occupancy rate, which translates to 15 of its 18 rooms on its women executive floor. The Orchid began to target this segment only in March 2003 and traces an occupancy rate of 150-180 rooms a month, quite a leap from the 60-70 rooms a month last year. The Park group does 400-450 room nights a month. The Taj President lists eight rooms a day of a total of 175 while the InterContinental Marine Drive does about 10 per cent a month, which translates to about six rooms a day.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

“All the five-star chains that I’ve been at are mostly comfortable,” says Lorraine Mendes, Associate Director, IPAN Public Relations, who travels around the country at least thrice a month. “But I’ve noticed that the bellboys are usually inefficient. If I send them to the Business Centre for xerox copies that I need urgently, I never get them on time. They have too many procedures when you’re using their Business Centre. Isn’t it simpler to just bill it to your room?”

When Ansari’s not carrying her laptop, she steps into the Business Centre and has noticed that the internet connection is invariably slow. Some hotels have now shifted to broadband to speed up the process. Mendes’s other pet peeve as a hotel guest is the travel desk. “They need to help with ‘real’ local shopping. They just put you on to their own shopping complex with its exorbitant prices. Never have I been guided to a nook in the corner with great ethnic products by the travel desk. On the other hand, the drivers of hotel cars make great tour guides. So if you are a shopaholic, you can rely on them.” Although she does not find the time to unwind at the hotel spa due to work overload, she does try to make time for at least one short shopping trip before she gets back to the airport.

Adds Ansari, who has a keen eye for good bargains, “I think the travel desk is geared at the foreign tourists not Indians. They guide you to the same old sightseeing spots and expensive, tourist shops with the usual products and ridiculous prices. Their information is never updated enough. In fact, if you ask them anything beyond what they’re trained to do they get hassled. Even if you ask the staff to go check out the kitchen to learn a particular recipe, they’re not always open to the idea. They usually just do what they are taught to do.”

It is to cater to such culinary curiosity that The Park conducts cookery classes every Wednesday because however career-oriented a woman is, chances are she wants to learn to cook an exotic meal. The hotel has gone a step further and started marketing these products and received an encouraging response.

Some hotels like the Taj, Bangalore, offer home-cooked food as well. Some guests are even known to request the chef for simple ‘ghar ka khana’. Dey recalls a guest at The Park who would call the chef everyday and ask, “Aaj kya khilaoge?”

ACROSS THE FENCE

One would think that all women would welcome this special treatment by hotels. But there is a section, even within the hospitality industry, that does not consider the discrimination as a positive phenomenon. Lianne Braganza, marketing communications manager, JW Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai, says, “I’ve seen that women guests at our hotel don’t like being singled out for preferential treatment. I think a guest’s prime concern is security, and being an American hotel we maintain a very high level of security. They also like their privacy and expect sensitivity from the staff, which again is available irrespective of gender or nationality.”

Says Shereen Bhan, anchor, CNBC-TV18, “Once in two or three months I travel to cities that don’t have a bureau, like Bangalore and Singapore, where hotel staff is usually professional. And when you’re staying for two or three days, these facilities hardly matter. As long as check-in and check out is smooth, I think it all works out fine.”

But the new age marketing mantra - ‘target the women’ - bears the fruits of success even in the hospitality industry. And if the pie keeps getting bigger, it’s the corporate woman wearing the baker’s hat.