Apart from toiletries, TV remote batteries and light bulbs are among the most popular pilfered items by travelers
If it is in a hotel room you are staying at, it is meant to be picked. This is what most travellers believe and therefore do not mind taking toiletries home. But what comes as a shock is that some take away towels and other items, too.
A recent survey by TripAdvisor reveals that two-thirds (65 per cent) of global travellers and 58 per cent of Indian travellers admit to taking something from a hotel following their stay, with toiletries being the most popular pilfered items. Three in five (59 per cent) global hoteliers and 61 per cent Indian hotel owners report that their guests often take a variety of items when they leave. The survey reveals several discrepancies between what travellers say they take, compared to what hoteliers report missing from hotel rooms once guests depart. “Shampoo is one thing, but please stop taking the towels,” say hoteliers. Guests are more likely to admit taking items that are customarily thought of as complimentary such as toiletries or stationery.
However, it seems some travellers feel that the towels, light bulbs and batteries they find in their rooms are free for the taking as well.
Despite only seven per cent of global travellers saying they have taken towels from hotel rooms, an alarming one in four hoteliers report towels going missing following a guest’s stay. Some travellers have peculiar ideas about what makes a good travel memento — one in 10 hoteliers report clothes hangers going missing and seven per cent have found the batteries removed from TV remote controls after guests check out.
When it comes to the key motivators for choosing an accommodation, travellers around the world love a freebie. Over the past year, traveller interest in complimentary amenities has gone up, reinforcing the idea that one of the best ways for hoteliers to entice guests is to offer free services as part of the daily rate.