CAPE TOWN – March 2016: What’s there to not like about summer, especially in Mzansi? Protea Hotels has extrapolated fascinating data that shows what South Africans really love about the sunny season, using information submitted by potential guests.
Protea Hotels’ questionnaire was geared to provide advice about hotel choices for those looking for a suitable holiday stay, and focused on elements of The 2 Rs – relax and recharge.
“In the hospitality business, it’s vital to know what your guests want, especially during the busiest times of the year,” says Nicholas Barenblatt, Group Marketing Manager for Protea Hotels. “The quiz is essentially a tool we developed to help guide people make the right choice of venue for their summer holiday, based on their preferences.”
Fields in the quiz range from favourite holiday tipples, to what footwear you select when on holiday, to preferred movies. Some of the results were not surprising; beach holidays trump other options, with large numbers selecting the sound of waves lapping in the morning and favouring palm trees over fynbos.
Also not unexpected is the outcome for our most beloved snack food. Despite the expense, South Africans still overwhelmingly choose biltong. (Of course, this result could have been swayed by foreigners taking the quiz: once they’ve tasted biltong, they just can’t get enough of it!)
The traditional farmhouse-type breakfast remains ever popular with almost half the participants selecting an eggs and sausage with toast breakfast over the healthier option of yoghurt, fresh fruit and an orange juice. It is holiday time, after all, so we can surely relax and take a break from the usual skinny cappuccino and no carbs in the morning.
Other findings are more surprising. Despite being known as a nation of car-lovers, getting around on foot was the top transport choice, beating out 4x4s or Ubers. The selection for preferred drink also raises an eyebrow, with ice-cold beer losing out to pina colada and mocktails for top spot.
Protea Hotels gained some fun, useful feedback from its quiz, and their guests had yet another chance to enjoy the fun with the “Coolest Hotel Group in South Africa” (as defined by the Sunday Times).
Protea Hotels is a proud member of Marriott International, the global hotel company.