It’s always interesting to hear what hospitality executives have to say about various aspects of our business; 

One issue that continues to divide the industry is whether to charge for WiFi, offer it complimentary or have tiered pricing for guests needing more bandwidth or who want to connect multiple devices. I’m still surprised by the high prices being charged in some hotels around the world for WiFi.

Six years ago, we took the stand that Internet access is not a luxury; it’s an essential requirement and something that should be included as a standard service by an international hotel group. We were the first international luxury hotel company to offer complimentary WiFi in every hotel, and we later extended that to our hotel cars.

Foregoing a revenue stream is never an easy choice. When we made the decision to offer free Internet access in 2009, business travel budgets were being cut. We knew being connected while on the road was the number one priority of our business travellers and that many of our valued guests view Internet access as absolutely crucial.

Offering free Internet showed our commitment to providing service and value for money to our customers. We believe this builds loyalty and ultimately repeat business.

The way our guests are connecting has evolved. In 2009 the iPad did not even exist. Fast-forward to today and guests are bringing with them three or more devices each. (This isn’t limited to adults â€" children travelling with their families now often carry WiFi-enabled devices of their own.)

We do not restrict the total number of devices a guest may connect to our complimentary WiFi network -- doing so would be at cross-purposes to the way in which they have told us they want to use their devices.

Shangri-La is as committed as ever to providing value for money to guests, and we are continuing to invest in our WiFi technology so that no matter how WiFi evolves, we will be prepared to deliver it.

Greg Dogan is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

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