Everybody travels and if you travel frequently or hold out for that once a year vacation, there is always going to be a need for Internet access on your travels and hotel management may ask themselves, 'Why do hotels need free Wi-Fi?' 

Well if that’s the case, this article may help you get a better understanding on the importance of free Wi-Fi in hotels.

Pros

Like any other amenity, Wi-Fi adds to the guest’s experience overall at the hotel. What hotel’s may not know is that Wi-Fi now-a-days should be a given, just like color-TV and Air Conditioning. It’s more than just an amenity, it shows people that you are up-to-date with technology. Many hotels offer Wi-Fi but at a price, which makes having free Wi-Fi more of an incentive to stay. Hotel guests have already spent enough money and time searching for hotels, the least a hotel can do is provide them with Internet services. It’s to the point where Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury but more of a necessity in today’s world. For business traveler’s, internet access may be the reason for their stay since they need a way to still conduct business.

Cons

There are also minor downfall’s to having free Wi-Fi. To start off, if the hotel isn’t able to support the bandwidth required for the amount of guests staying, it may start to get slow and choppy for all guests who are using internet access, including the hotel staff. You may need to upgrade to a higher service in order to maintain a solid connection. With all types of people accessing your Wi-FI, you may also be at a security risk also. Even though there is always a chance of a potential hacker, there is ways to protect yourself internally from outside threats.

Other

Some hotels do have the choice of Wi-Fi, but it comes at a price. They will charge you additional in order for Internet services, per user, per day. Now as some see this as a way to earn more profit, it can also be a way to discourage guests from staying with you. People like to get more bang for their buck, and charging them will make them think twice before booking. Depending the hotel and demographic, this paid alternative can work well and to their advantage.

E-Marketing Associates helps independent hotels increase direct bookings and reduce reliance on OTAs. We build innovative online marketing products that deliver the best ROI for independent hotels. Our products aim to ultimately drive top-line revenue.

www.e-marketingassociates.com