24 September 2020 – SINGAPORE –  Travelers are ready to pack their bags and head out on trips, but not before checking the accommodations’ hygiene and safety measures. Globally, “Daily Room Disinfection” followed by “Daily Disinfection (of general areas) are the most important hygiene measures travelers expect to be implemented by hotels and other accommodation providers. Other measures in the top five include “Providing Hygiene Standard Listings”, “Providing Personal Hygiene Kit (masks, gloves, etc).” and “Hygiene Certification from the Government”, according to research from digital travel platform, Agoda, as it launches HygienePlus, a new verification feature that shows travelers the health and hygiene measures taken by accommodation providers on its travel platform. As travel resumes, HygienePlus gives travelers the added assurance of identifying hotels or homes that meet a checklist of standardized measures.

For travelers from South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, “Daily Room Disinfection” tops the priority list, while travelers from Taiwan, USA, Thailand, Australia and Saudi Arabia prioritise “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)” as the most important measure to get them booking again. Younger travelers in the 18 to 24 years old category are more inclined to prioritise “Daily Room Disinfection”, while “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)” are the most important measure for global respondents in the 35 to 44 years old age group.

“Hygiene Standard Listings” is a priority for Thai and Taiwanese travelers, and the most important hygiene measure for travelers aged 18 to 24 years old globally. Hotels that provide “personal hygiene kits (masks and gloves, etc).” are valued most by Indonesians, Saudi Arabians and Vietnamese travelers. Bucking the global trend, only Indonesians value “Hygiene Certification from Government” as one of the top three measures to start traveling again.

“People are raring to travel again but need the reassurance that hygiene measures at their destination are rigorous. Hoteliers and accommodation providers need to regain the confidence of travelers and have been working hard to implement safety measures to do so. HygienePlus quickly and easily identify hotels that are ensuring a safe and hygienic environment. Of course, on Agoda, guests can also check peer reviews on cleanliness of facilities to further confirm their decisions”, says Omri Morgenstern, Chief Operating Officer.

“We are seeing a positive reception to the HygienePlus feature since our soft launch in August.  While travel is still picking up it is a differentiator that is setting hotel partners apart.  People want to travel with peace of mind that hygiene standards are front of mind.”

Agoda HygienePlus’ feature includes an extensive checklist is based off international healthcare standards that hotels work towards. These include staff training in safety protocols, contactless check-in/out, temperature checks for staff and guests, staff wearing face covers, protective screens in common areas, daily disinfection at property and room level, provision of face masks, sterilizing equipment and hand sanitizer for guests, safe dining set up and signs to ensure physical distancing.

Australia

• In comparison to the global statistics, “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)”, “Daily Room Disinfection” and “Contactless Check in/Out” are the top attributes for Australian travelers.
• Globally, Australians are more likely to rank “Contactless Check-in/out” ahead of other countries globally.

Indonesia

• In comparison to the global statistics, “Personal Hygiene Kits (masks, gloves, etc.).”, “Hygiene Certification from Government” and “Daily Temperature Checks for Staff & Guests” are amongst the most important factors for Indonesians.
• Bucking the global trend, Indonesians are most likely to rate “Hygiene Certification from the Government” and “Daily Temperature Check for Staff & Guests” as important measures before they can start traveling again.
• Together with Saudi Arabians and South Koreans, Indonesians also value hotels “Providing Medical Information around the Accommodation”.

South Korea

• South Koreans rank the same top three measures as global, but “Daily Disinfections (of general areas)”, “Providing Hygiene Standard Listings”, “Daily Temperature Checks for Staff & Guests” and “Hygiene Certification from Government” knocks “Personal Hygiene Kits (masks, gloves, etc.)” out of the top five.
• Together with Saudi Arabia and Indonesians, South Koreans also value hotels “Providing Medical Information around the Accommodation”.

Taiwan

• As per the global figures, “Daily Room Disinfection”, “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)”, and “Provide Hygiene Standard Listings are amongst the most important measures for Taiwanese.
• Globally, Taiwanese are more likely to rank “Daily Room Disinfection” and “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)” ahead of other countries.

Thailand

• In line with global results, “Daily Room Disinfection”, “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)” and “Providing Hygiene Standard Listings” are amongst the most important measures for Thais.
• Of all the countries, Thais, are most likely to rank “Providing Hygiene Standard Listings” as a more important measure.

Vietnam

• For Vietnamese travelers, “Personal Hygiene Kits (masks, gloves, etc.)”, “Daily Room Disinfection”, and “Daily Disinfection (of general areas)” are amongst the most important measures for Vietnamese.

The survey was commission by Agoda and conducted by Kantar Profiles Network in June 2020. More than 2300 people across eight markets were surveyed. These are: Australia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and USA.