Ahead of International Women’s Day, AZIMUT Hotels analysts studied women’s travel planning habits to understand the factors that influence their choices. According to the survey, 85% of respondents have a well-established decision-making approach. At the same time, nearly a quarter of respondents said they would be willing to increase their travel budget in exchange for greater comfort. More than half of those surveyed said they would travel around Russia more often if there were more hotels offering a high level of service.
When choosing a destination, gastronomic experiences and proximity to attractions are particularly important to women. Many also pay attention to the local cultural component and choose places where they can experience the character of the region. Booking trends confirm this: this year, Dagestan, Kazan and the cities of the Golden Ring are the most popular destinations for the long weekend around March 8.
Three distinct types of travelers emerged among the respondents
Women in the first group make decisions quickly and often at the last minute. Some 36% of respondents prefer a clear, predictable travel scenario and make decisions quickly.
- They often take short weekend trips lasting one or two days.
- They prefer hotel chains and believe they offer a higher level of service.
- They do not like experimenting and tend to stay at places they have enjoyed before.
- They choose hotels that offer loyalty programs.
- They are prone to spontaneous trips and often make last-minute bookings.
- They enjoy traveling and planning their own trips.
Women in the second group take their time when making decisions. Another 28% of women do not mind spending time choosing a hotel and destination and generally prefer not to make last-minute bookings.
- They often book hotels during discounts and sales.
- They carefully research information online, with reviews playing a decisive role.
- They prefer hotel chains and properties that offer loyalty programs.
- They enjoy trying new things and staying at different hotels.
- They enjoy traveling and writing reviews.
Women in the third group are guided by the brand. Some 21% of female travelers say that conducting their own research is more important to them. They are more likely than others to use booking aggregators, are not tied to hotels with loyalty programs, and enjoy trying different types of holidays.
- They often write reviews and research information independently.
- They plan their holidays in advance.
- When traveling around Russia, they are not limited to their home region.
Nearly a quarter of women are less price-sensitive. Analysts also note that around 22% of female travelers are less focused on discounts and are more relaxed about the cost of a trip. They are willing to spend slightly more than planned on a holiday if they “fall in love” with a hotel.
- These women are not driven by discounts and sales.
- They are not prone to spontaneous trips.
- They prefer to choose hotels independently rather than rely on recommendations from friends and acquaintances.
- They prefer hotel chains.
- They enjoy planning trips, although the process can take a considerable amount of time.
- They enjoy trying new things rather than returning to hotels they have already visited.
Overall, 68% of the women surveyed enjoy the process of planning a trip: they are happy to compare options, read reviews and plan their itineraries. Another 30% admitted that they do not enjoy planning, although perhaps what they really want is for the men in their lives to take the initiative — someone they can plan a trip with and always rely on.