A new initiative has been launched by Premier Travel Inn (PTI) in United Kingdom who has worked with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to produce a new safety booklet entitled…
A new initiative has been launched by Premier Travel Inn (PTI) in United Kingdom who has worked with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to produce a new safety booklet entitled “Peace of mind for every single guest”.
The partnership was developed as a result of new research from Premier Travel Inn that shows women are more concerned than ever about their personal safety especially when travelling at night or staying away from home: 45% of women admit they do not trust public transport after dark, 62% regard bus or tube stations a nightmare and many more are scared of stopping at petrol stations or walking through city centres at night.
And it’s not just night-time nerves, even during the day, one in twenty women will try to avoid walking along certain streets, while a quarter are so worried by some roads they won’t drive down them; and over 20% of women have felt so vulnerable while out alone they have rung a friend or relative for reassurance.
Women’s concerns don’t end there … even when staying away in hotels alone they check under the bed (14%), behind the shower curtain (25%) and some even put a chair under the door handle (5%). Others pull all the covers back on their bed to make sure no one is hiding underneath (8%), open up all the closets (19%) or check behind the curtains (13%).
The study of 2,000 people for Premier Travel Inn (PTI), also found that 75% of women would re-arrange pillows in their hotel bed to replicate the feel of a partner. And once in bed, women need distractions to take their mind off their worries so they can get to sleep. Almost a quarter (24%) fall asleep to the sound of a TV, 21% leave a light on, while 6% use the radio to soothe them.
PTI has operated a single female traveler policy for several years and it is updated regularly with new procedures to alleviate the stress and concerns of women traveling alone. The PTI policy includes training receptionists to give room details discreetly to single female guests to avoid being overheard by other people in the reception area and, where possible, avoiding locating female guests in rooms on the ground floor or at the end of corridors to lessen the chance of disturbances. One of the latest updates to the single female traveler policy includes the introduction of a new housekeeping practice where the shower curtain must be left half open.
Catriona Lougher-Smith, Head of Brand Marketing, PTI said: “The study into women’s views on personal safety has revealed some worrying statistics. As the UK’s leading budget hotel chain, we are committed to the safety and security of all our guests and understand the importance of making sure women feel safe when they visit any of our sites. By joining forces with The Suzy Lamplugh Trust to produce this booklet we are taking another practical step to ensure this.”
Lisa Harrison, Business Development Manager, The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Premier Travel Inn on this new initiative. The tips in the booklet are not only great for solo female travellers but for anyone travelling on their own. By following these simple steps and suggestions we hope to give all lone travellers confidence when they are away from home.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
