BVA BDRC releases brand performance results from 2013 Pan Western Europe Hotel Guest Survey.
14/08/2013 By Tim Sander
Hilton remains the market leader across Western Europe, but Ibis, Accor’s economy tier brand, has become the most widely used brand for business and leisure stays, overtaking Hilton and Holiday Inn, and takes the award for ‘Most Improved Brand’ in BVA BDRC’s 2013 Pan Western Europe Hotel Guest Survey.
The Pan Western Europe Hotel Guest Survey is seen by many as the definitive measure of hotel brand performance. 2013’s survey was based on 8,500 interviews with samples of business and leisure travellers from seven of the major countries of Western Europe.
Hilton retained the No. 1 spot for brand performance in Britain, Germany and Italy and remained the market leader for the whole region. It was Accor, however, who really stole the show. Their Ibis economy-tier hotels won ‘Most Improved Brand’ for Western Europe as a whole, Germany and Benelux. Additionally, for France and Britain, their Ibis Budget and Mercure brands respectively took away the same award. Accor’s successful business strategy has consisted of bringing their other brands under the Ibis flag, with Etap and All Seasons becoming Ibis Budget and Ibis Styles respectively.
Importantly, despite the growing influence of economy-tier brands such as Ibis, Travelodge and Premier Inn, Hilton still retains the top spot and is still the ‘leading choice’ brand for most of Western Europe. However, these economy-tier brands are becoming increasingly popular with consumers as purse strings continue to tighten on travel budgets and their positioning resonates with a growing number of travellers.
