With the recent announcement by Hilton Hotels that their
world-wide chain would now be featuring a pet-friendly
policy, it appears that many travel-based organizations
are awakening to a growing trend – traveling with your
pet.
(The Hilton Hotels announcement
offers lodging for pets under 34 kg and they can stay
for a small additional charge and take advantage of a
supplied bowl, bed and treats)
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Drawing on my own experience, I
have never known of such a policy in the past, and I
think Hilton may be the first major brand name hotel
chain to adopt it. I don’t think the rest will be too
far behind. With reported industry numbers of 41
billion dollars estimated for 2007, up from a whopping
38.5 billion dollars spent on food, medicine, clothing
and the like, the pet industry is certainly one worth
capitalizing on. We Americans love our pets, and that’s
a gross understatement. |
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Today I came across some interesting
poll results in a survey by
www.BringYourPet.com , a leading pet friendly hotel
and lodging directory. They polled pet lovers about
their travel and purchase habits.
Here’s what they found:
·
83%
stay at designated pet-friendly hotels or lodging each
year.
·
17%
stay at designated pet-friendly 6 or more times each
year.
·
76%
frequently take their pets with them when leaving town.
·
64%
would be more likely to lengthen their stay if given the
opportunity to travel with their pets.
·
85%
travel with dogs.
·
6%
travel with cats.
·
47%
travel with dogs 30 pounds or more.
·
39%
say it is 'difficult to find pet-friendly lodging.
The key data that jumps out at me
is that 76% of polled people frequently travel with
their pets out of town and also that 85% traveled with
their dog. It’s definitely obvious that a dog is most
likely the easiest pet to transport and is usually
road-friendly. I doubt you’ll pack up the trunk and
toss the aquarium in the back seat so Flippy can enjoy
the drive to Cleveland (hahahaha.)
I think the easiest way to explain
this is the sort of renaissance surrounding the concept
of how a pet fits into a family and more often than not,
the pet is regarded on the same level (if not a higher
level, in some situations) as the kids. We tend to
humanize them, creating characters. But that is what we
love and it’s only going to grow.
So, next time the open road is
calling, be sure to see if you can find a place that
both you and your pet can stay and enjoy the journey
together.
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Scoop
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Dogs feel very strongly that
they should always go with you in the car,
in case the need should arise for them to
bark violently at nothing right in your ear
-- Dave Barry |
