Study Also Finds Global Travelers Would
Rather Say “Au Revoir” to Sex, Alcohol or Social Media than Coffee for One Year
Le Méridien to Add More Than 100 Master Baristas
at Hotels around the World as Part of Initiative to Meet Growing Coffee Culture
Demands
Bali – October 22, 2013 – Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts today revealed
the results of a newly commissioned survey on global coffee and travel habits
as the Paris-born brand begins to roll-out Master Baristas at its hotels and
resorts worldwide by end of year.
The
Le Méridien survey, conducted in advance of International Coffee Day on
September 29, found that coffee surpasses sex as the ideal wake-up call
according to more than half (53%) of the global respondents. The study also
established that coffee drinkers are addicted to this morning ritual as 54% of
respondents make their morning brew right at home and an overwhelming 78% would
rather give up alcohol, social media or sex with their spouse for a year rather
than forfeit coffee – proving that a bean buzz remains the ultimate high.
The
new global study of coffee drinkers and frequent travelers in six countries –
from India to the US, China to UAE, among other key markets – uncovers how
today’s ‘mega-travelers’ get their caffeine fix. While travel usually provides a break from
the daily routine, the survey shows that coffee remains an on-the-go necessity
as, on average, people drink more coffee when they are away from home. Coffee traditions and flavors from around the
world are so distinct that a majority of seasoned jetsetters (53%) claim to
have experienced nostalgia for a destination due to the cup of coffee they
enjoyed while traveling.
Spilling the Beans: Coffee Habits Fuel the
Day
A
ubiquitous necessity and source of energy, the coffee one consumes – and how
much – can say a lot.
- Surprisingly, the Le Méridien brand’s study found that most people (58%) prefer to drink coffee to relax, while 55% also drink it primarily for the taste.
- A majority of respondents (51%) feel they could go longer without sex than without coffee.
- Of all the effects felt from lack of coffee, approximately one-fourth (28%) feel less creative, 22% cannot get out of bed, and 16% say that they are not able to talk to other people without it.
- The vast majority of people need a coffee caffeinated kick during long meetings (81%), while only 56% would request water.
Something’s Brewing among Global Travelers
When
traveling the world, coffee drinkers may experiment with local flavors, but
their addiction never wavers. Key findings include:
- 73% of respondents would give up television and internet in a hotel for the perfect cup of coffee.
- The majority of respondents (63%) would give up alcohol over coffee while staying at a hotel.
- Travelers also experience an emotional response to coffee, given that 58% of respondents say they generally miss the coffee experience they had while traveling.
Coffee
Talk: Cups of Joe Create Conversation
With
speed of information, convenience and connectivity leading the charge in
today’s society, it is no wonder that coffee and social media are closely
intertwined.
- The global study found that a majority of respondents (64%) access social media while having coffee and traveling, all at the same time.
- While drinking coffee on the road, people like to stay connected through various channels as most respondents (72%) will either check their social media accounts or read a newspaper/magazine.
- More than half (53%) said that if they were going to post a beverage on their social media accounts while traveling, it would be coffee.
“Coffee
continues to be an increasingly important part of the travel experience, and to
develop high impact programming for our Le Méridien guests, it was important
that we had an understanding of global coffee trends,” said Brian Povinelli,
Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and Westin. “The new Le Méridien Master
Barista program, derived from key findings from our study, will further bring
to life a quintessential European café and breakfast culture at Le Méridien
hotels and resorts around the world.”
Calling all Baristas: Le Méridien Adds more
than 100 Coffee Specialists
To
meet the growing demands of coffee lovers worldwide, Le Méridien today launched
a new Master Barista initiative that will by end of year introduce a dedicated
coffee expert to every hotel globally. Derived from the Italian word for
‘bartender,’ the Le Méridien Master Barista will boast a technical skillset
required beyond making basic coffee drinks and undergo an intensive training
program, designed by Le Méridien and its global coffee partner illy.
Le
Méridien Master Baristas will lead coffee-related initiatives and standards at
each hotel as well as serve as lead coffee cultural ambassador, maintaining
knowledge of current coffee trends while raising the local community’s
awareness of coffee. According to the
survey, two-fifths of travelers also prefer to get their coffee in the hotel
lobby rather than make it in-room, making Le Méridien Hub® — a reinterpretation
of the traditional lobby into a coffeehouse environment that stimulates
dialogue and exchange — an even more integral gathering place for guests
looking to caffeinate and converse.
“As
a LM100 member and Master Barista, I am thrilled to further bring coffee
culture to life for Le Méridien guests worldwide,” said Storm. “Coffee is an
essential part of the cultural and travel landscape, and I believe that the
team of Master Baristas at Le Méridien hotels around the world will enhance the
awareness and appreciation of various international trends and flavors.”
About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts
Le
Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100
properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYS: HOT) in November 2005. With more than 80 of its
properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le
Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood's then
primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase.
Since
then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large
scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy.
Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed
numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated
experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien
Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating on markets in
Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Bali,
Atlanta, Dallas, Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Arlington (Virginia, USA), and
Coimbatore (India), and will open in the next 12 months in Chicago, Zhengzhou
(China), Mahabaleshwar (India), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Cairo (Egypt),
Qingdao (China), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tampa (Florida, USA) and Columbus (Ohio,
USA).
For
more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com
or www.facebook.com/lemeridien.
Follow @lemeridienhotels on Instagram.
Study Methodology
This
study is based on a survey conducted by STUDYLOGIC LLC via telephone of 7,455
coffee drinkers from 6 different countries: the United States, Dubai, China,
France, German, and India. This summary
report is based on the responses of all 7,455 respondents from all six
countries. 45% of the respondents were
male and 55% were female. Summary charts
showing the breakdown of age, the frequency of coffee drinking, the frequency
of travel, and the frequency of social media access are included at the end of
this summary report. The survey consisted
of twenty-seven questions including identifiers. Interviews were conducted
between July 10th and July 25th, 2013. The survey averaged 25 minutes in length
and contains a margin of error of +/-3%.