Consumers Switch, Shout and Sulk Over Hotel Entertainment

Consumers Switch, Shout and Sulk Over Hotel Entertainment

LONDON, November 28/PRNewswire/ --

- 36 Per Cent Sulk About Poor In-Room Entertainment and Boycott Future
Visits

- 32 Per Cent Shout About Bad In-Room Tech to Friends, Family and Travel
Websites

- 23 Per Cent Actively Switch Hotels Based on Poor In-Room Entertainment

Research by Samsung, the leader in Flat Screen TVs, has revealed that
consumers are increasingly promiscuous and outspoken about dated hotel
entertainment systems. In-room technology is a major part of the hotel
experience, with 66 per cent of us saying the standard of their in-room
entertainment is a major part of our hotel choice.

Pammi Mudhar, European B2B Sales Director, Samsung said: "Despite the
slowing economy, consumer expectations for a 'home from home' hotel
experience are rising. Most homes these days are equipped with an array of
advanced technologies, as a result, three-quarters of us expect hotel
entertainment systems to at least match their home set-up, with over one in
four (26 per cent) expecting an even higher standard."

Over one in three (33 per cent) of us are seeking a 'home from home'
environment from hotels. Almost half of us (45 per cent) stay within the
confines of their hotel until checkout and nearly one in five of us (18 per
cent) do not even leave their room. It's little wonder that travellers are
increasingly demanding the best in-room entertainment.

The research also revealed that 95 per cent of hotel guests don't leave
home without their personal gadgets (with laptops (55 per cent); digital
cameras (55 per cent); and mp3 players (46 per cent) being the most popular
digital companions). Sixty-seven per cent of us now want to use personal
gadgets during our hotel stay. Listening to music from mp3 players over the
hotel entertainment system was the most popular demand - from 42 per cent of
respondents. Pammi Mudhar added: "Personal gadgets are ingrained in our lives
and allowing guests to link them with the hotel entertainment system, makes
their experience all the more seamless and enjoyable."

Hotel profiles

Three categories of hotel guests have emerged from the research, based on
their reactions to shoddy in-room entertainment.

- Nearly one in three, and the largest group, are the Sulkers (36 per
cent) - a group that bite their lip, but avoid staying in the same
hotel again.

- Nearly one in three of us (32 per cent) the Shouters - broadcast bad
experiences to friends and family, or write negative comments on travel
review websites.

- The Switchers account for nearly one in five (23 per cent) - they
either vote with their feet by storming off to a different hotel, or
demand an upgrade.

"Typically, Generation Y respondents, particularly business travellers,
are not shy about making their technology demands known and their loyalty is
based on using stylish, functional entertainment systems, that they're
already comfortable with. Most worryingly, the Sulkers don't give hoteliers
the right to reply or to improve their systems. They simply never return to
the same hotel again."

A lack of familiarity was also found to be a major hotel headache. The
survey even found an element of 'Flat Screen Separation Anxiety' in nearly
one in three (30%), who said the element of home life they missed most when
travelling was their home entertainment TV system. Interestingly, one in ten
men missed their teddy bear whilst almost half of women miss their own
pillow. Complicated in-room systems also proved a frustration, with one in
ten saying their struggling threshold was just 30 seconds, after which they
would call reception to ask for help, while 35 per cent of us will struggle
on indefinitely and not ask for help at all.

Samsung has come to the rescue of hotel travellers by helping hoteliers
replace aging substandard technology, with its sleek flat panel LCD TVs that
present the best crystal clear quality along with Samsung's unique Touch of
Colour design. Samsung Hospitality TVs also allow instant access to
multimedia content from portable devices, including mp3 players, digital
camcorders and cameras.

About the Research

OnePoll on behalf of Samsung carried out the survey during November 2008,
with respondents drawn from a cross section of demographic groups and ages.
1,000 people were interviewed through on online survey. Each of the
respondents spent an average 13.5 days in hotel rooms each year, an average
of 7 of which were on behalf of their company.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor,
telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with
2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000
people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of four main
business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business,
and Telecommunication Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing
global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs,
memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs.

For more information, please visit: http://www.samsung.com.

Source: Samsung

For further information please contact: Lisa Pantelli or Hannah Carter, Midnight Communications, T: +44(0)1273-666-200, E: Samsung@midnight.co.uk

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