HOSTON ENERGY
31, August, 2023
—— American tourists have trouble choosing accommodation in summer
—— In the average hotel or hostel, electric car charging stations are few and far between
—— Hoteliers are gradually realizing that charging stations are one of the key considerations for customers’ accommodation
American Tourists Have Trouble Choosing Accommodation in Summer
In other public and private locations in the United States and Canada, inadequate charging stations are likely to become increasingly common. But Bloomberg citing a 2020 survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) that says “electric car chargers are still largely absent” from traveler accommodations.
Electric Car Charging Stations are Few and Far Between
Only 26.6% of the 17,000 hotels surveyed had electric vehicle charging stations.
Hotels located on highways, small subways or in urban areas are far less likely to have electric car chargers, with a 20% penetration rate.
Bloomberg’s own anecdotal research confirms the trend: “I visited more than two dozen Super 8s and Days Inns across the country, and not one had a charger.”
Hoteliers Are Becoming Aware
As electric vehicle ownership has grown, the hotel industry has realized this mistake. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the largest hotel group in the United States, with brands such as Days Inn and Super 8. “It’s something we’re going to be very focused on over the next few years,” said Geoff Ballotti, CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “We are working with some of the leading electric vehicle charging companies in the country, and we have a range of models available to franchisees.”
Another barrier to EV owners planning trips is the lack of any standard communication practices on the hotel’s various promotional platforms to indicate that charging stations are available within the hotel. Some hotels do not provide information on EV charging stations at all, while others provide screening infrastructure conditions on the mobile app, but not on the website.
Travel booking sites like Expedia, Kayak and Airbnb are currently filling the void. According to Airbnb, as of February 2022, about 850,000 properties listed EV charging as an amenity-based feature.
Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA, said that as electric vehicle sales rise, savvy hoteliers or other service industry operators should act accordingly.
Obviously, EV charging stations are an important infrastructure that affects business performance.
Contact us to become a savvy operator.
