British tourists are more concerned about receiving local weather updates in their hotel room than anything else, according to research from Telindus, the network integration specialist.  When offered a variety of information and viewing options in their hotel room, 65 per cent of Brits chose local weather updates.  Local tourist attractions and reviews of bars and restaurants came a close second with 64 per cent of travellers wanting access to this information in their hotel rooms.  Receiving TV channels in their native language came in third place, with 51 per cent of viewers choosing this option. 

British nostalgia didn’t go unnoticed; 43 per cent of Brits wanted their favourite TV programme or series to be aired and 34 per cent wanted to be able to watch re-runs of their favourite films when on holiday.  The 25-34 year old age group were the most home sick as 58 per cent wanted to keep up to date with their favourite TV programme.  When it came to adult entertainment, just four per cent admitted to wanting to watch it on their TV.  The age group most interested in this form of entertainment were the 16 to 24 year olds, with more than one in ten asking for porn in their hotel room (11 per cent).

“We’ve really lived up to the British stereotype.  It seems we can’t get away from discussing the weather or the latest shenanigans in EastEnders, even when we are on holiday,” said Nick Burrows, Product manager digital media solutions at Telindus.  “IP-based digital TV enables us to deliver localised and personalised information to consumers when they want it. It is a sign of the digital world we live in that consumers are starting to demand this level of personalised information, regardless of where they are in the world.”

People from Leeds and Newcastle are usually the first to start investigating the local area, with the research showing that 72 per cent wanted information on local tourist attractions and bar and restaurant reviews to be available in their rooms.  Despite this desire to explore, Geordies were also keen to watch their favourite TV series when back in the hotel room (55 per cent). Being able to access daily weather updates was most important to the people of Brighton, with 83 per cent wanting this information on their TVs.  Glaswegians were the least concerned about being able to watch TV channels in English, with only 37 per cent choosing this option.

 

As consumer demand for personalised and localised information and entertainment when on holiday increases, hotels need to provide their guests with their preferred information at the click of a button. By using IPTV, hotels have the ability to deliver different content to each hotel room, from information about bars and restaurants within walking distance, to favourite films or TV channels in a preferred language.