Fast wifi now the top priority for Irish hotel guests
High-speed wireless connectivity is now the top consideration for Irish travellers when booking a hotel, with digital connectivity "a non-negotiable" for most guests.
A survey commissioned by property advisor, Savills Ireland, published on Wednesday asked Irish adults which amenities were most important in a hotel stay. Overall, high-speed wifi ranked highest, with 64% of respondents putting connectivity first, followed by on-site dining options, followed by a swimming pool.
'High-speed wireless is now the top hotel must-have of Irish adults today – suggesting that not many truly 'switch off' while away from home," said Savills Ireland director of hotels and leisure, Tom Barrett. "While this is perhaps unsurprising for Gen Z (those aged under 28), who grew up in a digital-first world, it's striking to see older generations just as attached to connectivity. We assume Gen Z are the digital generation, but Boomers are just as reliant on connectivity, if not more so."
Men are twice as likely to prioritise a gym or fitness centre (21% vs 12%), the survey found. Women place more value on on-site dining (67%) and swimming pools (55%) than men (55% and 41%, respectively).
Environmental responsibility is becoming more important, with most people now saying sustainability would influence their choice of accommodation, but Mr Barrett said there is a "clear generational and gender divide when it comes to the value people place on green credentials".
Gen Z is most eco-engaged, with only 28% saying sustainability isn't a factor for them, while 38% for Millennials/Gen Y (those aged 29 to 44), and nearly half (49%) of Boomers (those aged over 60) are indifferent to a hotel's environmental efforts.
The nationwide study was carried out by iReach, on behalf of Savills, canvassing 1,000 adults.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Post
an hour ago
- Business Post
Legislation would erode the appeal of US financial assets, banks and investors say
John Magnier's son-in-law was advised by a UK consultant to 'low ball'... A Bulgarian fintech saying its customers can earn up to 18 per cent on 'loan investments'... European stock markets climbed after the EU trade chief said that discussions with... The Irish arm of the Ferrero Group, an Italian company behind the Kinder, Nutella... Forthcoming changes to the rent pressure zone (RPZ) system will help attract institutional... Several senior directors at AIB Group, including chief executive Colin Hunt, have... Luxury jeweller Cartier and outdoor fashion label The North Face are the latest big-name...
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Trinity College Dublin to divest from links with Israeli universities and firms
Trinity College Dublin is to divest from new arrangements with Israeli universities, firms and institutions. The board of the prestigious Dublin university, home to over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, made the decision to divest from Israeli links on Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian activists have called on other Irish universities to follow suit. Last May, students formed an encampment at Trinity in protest against a €214,285 fine imposed on the students' union after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university's ties to Israel. Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist. The students dismantled the camp after Trinity said it would "endeavour" to divest in other Israeli companies, noting that its supplier list contains just one Israeli company which remained in place until March this year for contractual reasons. On Wednesday, Trinity's board received a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel. Although the report is to return to the board later this year for its final consideration, based on "the strength of the evidence shared", the board accepted the report's recommendations in relation to links with Israel. This included recommendations that the college enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms. The college has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements, on an inbound basis only since September 2023, with Israeli universities: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, and Bar Ilan University, which ends in July 2026. The taskforce also found that the college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners, and – although none of these were found to be breaching international humanitarian law or human rights – the taskforce said Trinity should not seek to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israeli participation. It also said that Trinity should look to "align itself" with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning Israel's participation in such collaborations. The taskforce noted that Trinity had divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist and has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies. But it recommended that the college should fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel and that it should not enter into any future supply contracts with Israeli firms. The taskforce accepted that the college's existing intellectual property-related contracts are acceptable as they are not collaborative, but said no new commercial relationships with Israeli entities should be set up. Chairwoman of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Zoe Lawlor said the decision by Trinity was a "landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime". She called on more Irish universities to do the same and paid tribute to students, academics and staff who campaigned for this outcome. "Trinity will now stand on the right side of history, as it did with South African apartheid in the past, but it is nevertheless disappointing that it took so long to get to this position," she said. "We echo the view of TCD Students' Union that it remains disappointing that Trinity has not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners who provide military technology and training that will run until 2029. "Nonetheless, we celebrate each and every step towards de-normalising relations with the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. We call on the Irish Government and the EU to pay heed to the changing climate, and to act to bring an end to all Irish state complicity with the apartheid regime." The taskforce, chaired by former president of the High Court Mary Irvine, met on 14 occasions and received 77 submissions in total.
Irish Post
2 hours ago
- Irish Post
BBC to restrict overseas access to BBC Sounds, cutting off Irish listeners
THE BBC has confirmed it will block international access to its BBC Sounds platform in 2025, ending online availability of its radio stations, including BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle, for listeners in the Republic of Ireland. The move is part of a broader strategy to make BBC Sounds exclusive to UK audiences, like the geo-blocking already applied to BBC iPlayer. Under the new model, international users will instead be directed to a new audio section on their website, where access is limited to selected podcasts and just two radio stations: BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4. This new restriction will most immediately affect those counties in Ireland along the border; Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. 'This change ensures BBC Sounds is only available to those who pay the licence fee,' a BBC spokesperson said, adding that it allows the organisation to deliver 'better value for UK audiences'. For listeners in Ireland, particularly those near the border who rely on Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle, the change is seen as more than just technical. Independent media analyst Jim Waterson told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme that while the move makes commercial sense, 'a lot of people in London forget about the small matter of the border on the island of Ireland.' He said many would consider it reasonable to ask overseas listeners to pay or view advertising, 'but there are wider cultural consequences here that aren't being addressed.' Former BBC journalist Shane Harrison said the decision may violate the spirit of cross-border cooperation outlined in the Good Friday Agreement and a 2010 memorandum of understanding between the UK and Irish governments. The memorandum recognised public broadcasting's role in 'promoting cultural diversity, educational programming, and objective public information' across the island of Ireland. Professor Kevin Curran, a cybersecurity expert at Ulster University, added that while geo-blocking is technically simple, the BBC has chosen not to make exceptions. 'If the BBC wanted to allow access in Ireland, it could be done quite easily; it could probably be done in a morning,' he said. The BBC named "rights limitations" as a factor in the decision. Much of its content involves third-party agreements that restrict international use. The change also allows its commercial arm, BBC Studios, to make money from international content through advertising on their website, revenue that flows back into the public service broadcaster. The Republic of Ireland's Department of Culture said the move is 'entirely a matter for the BBC', while Britain's Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that the broadcaster is editorially and operationally independent. While BBC Radio content will remain available via platforms like Spotify, the full experience of BBC Sounds, including live local radio, will no longer be accessible online outside Britain and Northern Ireland. For many in Ireland, the decision is a step back from decades of cross-border media access. As one listener toldFeedback on BBC Radio 4, 'We don't just listen to Radio Ulster out of habit; it's part of our identity.' The Irish Post has contacted the BBC for comment and has yet to hear back.
