Travelers weigh-in on saving beach chairs at resorts, kids at adult-only pools, tipping bellman and hotel maids, and more, in survey by Travel Leaders Group.
PLYMOUTH, MINN. – While air travel etiquette – or lack thereof – is a frequent topic of conversation among travelers, there are myriad more common travel scenarios warranting discussion about how best to resolve or defuse a situation. In a recent survey, Travel Leaders Group asked Americans how they would handle uncomfortable – yet fairly common – travel dilemmas such as tipping hotel and resort bellman and maids, saving unoccupied beach chairs at resorts, and bringing kids to adult-only pools at resorts and hotels, along with vying for overhead storage bin space on airlines. The series of “What would you do?” travel dilemma questions were part of a survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group – a $20 billion powerhouse in the travel industry – from April 6 to April 28, 2014, and includes responses from 2,719 consumers throughout the United States.
“Our ‘What would you do?’ questions have yielded some very intriguing responses over the past two years – and this year is no different. For example with airplane overhead bin space at a premium, it may surprise some that nearly 75% of survey participants insist they try to get as close to their assigned seat as possible before placing their carry-on in the overhead space. Resort-goers have a low tolerance for others who save beach chairs and then leave them unoccupied – over 66% of those polled said their limit would be two hours or less before they seized the unoccupied chair. Children at adult-only pools prompted a wide variety of responses,” stated Travel Leaders Group CEO Barry Liben. “Some of the questions in our survey may seem humorous, but they can have a real impact on one’s overall travel experience. Since there’s no official playbook or handbook on proper travel etiquette, this survey – along with the sage advice from our professional travel agents – can assist travelers so they are able to face these uncomfortable travel scenarios with confidence.”
Key Statistics and Findings
When asked, “If you were on vacation at a hotel or resort and someone ‘saved’ a beach chair yet was nowhere in sight, how long would you wait before taking that chair if no others were available?” the responses were:
|
Less than 1 hour |
24.1% |
|
1 hour |
28.7% |
|
2 hours |
13.8% |
|
3 hours |
2.5% |
|
4 hours |
1.2% |
|
More than 4 hours |
29.8% |
When asked, “If a bellman at a hotel/resort grabbed your luggage and started taking it to your car/cab or room without you asking for assistance, would you still tip the bellman?” the responses were:
|
Yes, the usual amount I would normally tip |
48.8% |
|
Yes, but less than the usual amount I would normally tip |
32.4% |
|
No, I wouldn’t tip because I didn’t ask for assistance |
18.8% |
When asked, “Tipping maid service at hotels is increasingly common and the norm in many destinations. When staying at a hotel or resort, do you tip the maid service?” the responses were:
|
Yes, every day regardless of the length of my stay |
35.0% |
|
Yes, but only if I’m staying more than 1 night |
17.6% |
|
Yes, but only if I’m staying more than 2 nights |
21.1% |
|
I never tip the maid service |
26.3% |
When asked, “If you were enjoying an adult-only pool at a hotel or resort and another guest brought their child/children into that pool area, what would you do?” the responses were:
|
Alert the hotel/resort staff only if the child/children are disruptive |
27.8% |
|
Alert the hotel/resort staff regardless, because it is adult-only |
27.2% |
|
I would do nothing; it wouldn’t bother me a bit. |
18.2% |
|
I would do nothing but hope someone else would address the situation |
11.6% |
|
Say something to the parent(s) only if the child/children are disruptive |
9.5% |
|
Say something to the parent(s) regardless of their child/children’s actions |
5.7% |
When asked, “When staying at a hotel or resort, if there are loud noises coming from the room next door (or above/below your room), what would you do?” the responses were:
|
I would call the front desk and ask that they deal with the issue |
87.5% |
|
I would do nothing |
8.9% |
|
I would bang on the wall/floor/ceiling to get the message across |
1.9% |
|
I would call that room and directly ask the individual(s) to be quiet |
1.4% |
|
I would be as loud as I could to get the message across |
0.2% |
When asked, “Many hotels and resorts indicate they are trying to conserve water and energy and ask guests to consider reusing their towels. Do you …” the responses were:
|
Always try to reuse towels |
49.8% |
|
Sometimes throw the towels on the floor and sometimes reuse towels |
38.8% |
|
Always throw the towels on the floor |
11.4% |
When asked, “When flying, if you were concerned about overhead bin space for your carry-on bag in the area where your seat is located, would you place it near the front of the plane as soon as you got on?” the responses were:
|
I’d at least try to get as close to my assigned row as possible |
74.8% |
|
I’d go all the way to my assigned row and then ask the flight attendant for assistance |
20.9% |
|
Absolutely! |
4.3% |
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
