Would you choose a hotel because it actively helped women affected by domestic violence or provided housing for people in need?
asserted
it → choose → need
According to a new study by Griffith University’s department of Tourism and Marketing, younger travellers are the most influenced by a hotel’s social impact policy, with hotels that genuinely strive to do good in their communities gaining strong loyalty from customers.
uncertain
that → accord → customers
Trust matters, according to the report, which drew on meta-analysis of 37 studies involving more than 26,000 individuals across 18 countries.
uncertain
which → matter → countries
“Reputation and trust, once relatively modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage”.
asserted
Reputation → become → patronage
Owned by YWCA and built on the footprint of a former YWCA hostel, the bright four-star hotel ploughs all the revenue it generates into the organisation’s housing and support projects.
asserted
it → own → projects
In 2023, YWCA provided 130,000 nights of safe accommodation to women and girls in need, supported 6000 people through additional projects and provided homes for 529 people.
asserted
YWCA → provide → people
Most of those people in need are women and families escaping domestic violence.
asserted
Most → escape → violence
The charity and its partners are funding about $100 million worth of housing construction around Australia.
asserted
charity → fund → Australia
The YWCA has supported women, children, young people and communities for 130 years.
asserted
YWCA → support → years
And it’s more important in these troubled times.
asserted
it → ’ → times
Family and domestic violence related offences rose by 8 per cent in 2024-25 and continues to rise.
asserted
offences → relate → 2024
As of late August, 49 women have allegedly been killed this year by domestic violence.
uncertain
women → kill → violence
Knowing that part of your room tariff goes to worthy causes might make you feel good, but Song Hotel’s manager, Jon Ackary, says most guests don’t select a hotel primarily based on its social enterprise credentials.
uncertain
guests → know → credentials
They make their choices based on location first, budget second and thirdly, the rating the hotel has achieved on booking engines such as Tripadvisor and Expedia.
asserted
hotel → make → Tripadvisor
After they stay, though, “they get the warm and fuzzies about it, and they keep coming back”, he says.
asserted
he → stay → it
The hotel has around 91 per cent occupancy year-round, with many repeat customers, so the hotel’s social enterprise does drive guest loyalty, and distinguishes it from other four-star hotels.
Song Hotel exudes a sunny friendliness.
asserted
Hotel → have → friendliness
Gender-neutral in design, they especially feel welcoming and safe for female travellers, with added touches such as a hair-straightener as well as dryer in the bathroom.
asserted
they → feel → bathroom
It’s a bit of a relief to find a hotel, which is open to male travellers and families as well, that thinks so carefully about its women guests.
asserted
that → ’ → guests
That goes back to the beginnings of the YWCA in Australia, Ackary says.
asserted
Ackary → go → Australia
It was founded to provide accommodation for young women who arrived at the docks from overseas into a Sydney that was predominantly male.
asserted
that → found → Sydney
Coincidentally, Ackary says his grandmother arrived from Finland with her best friend when she was about 17 years old – “I don’t know if they got picked up by the YWCA, but probably they were.”
asserted
they → say → YWCA
Ackary is a director of Hotel Etico Australia, which is based in Leura in the Blue Mountains and in Canberra.
asserted
which → base → Canberra
The institute trains and employs people with intellectual disabilities, giving them meaningful careers and creating inclusive workplaces in the hospitality industry.
asserted
institute → train → industry
You can find graduates working in hotels run by groups such as Mercure, Crowne Plaza, Novotel and TFE.
asserted
You → find → Mercure
And you can find them at Song and in its restaurant Song Kitchen.
asserted
you → find → restaurant
Ackary believes in investing in people.
asserted
Ackary → believe → people
He speaks about Fred on reception who is deaf and non-verbal and worked at the hostel then hotel for 30 years – “he’s the life of the party”.
asserted
he → speak → party
The hotel is also fully accessible for people in wheelchairs, with a wheelchair lift transporting guests who need it between levels of the restaurant and bar that fronts the street.
asserted
that → transport → street
“The reaction from customers is really heartwarming”, Ackary says.
asserted
Ackary → say → customers
“We get 4000 reviews a year.
asserted
We → get → reviews
We do 3000 surveys.
asserted
We → do → surveys
Guests say we’re attentive, friendly and kind.”
asserted
we → say → ?
Hotels have never really sought a reputation for kindness.
asserted
Hotels → seek → kindness
And travellers probably don’t expect it.
asserted
travellers → expect → it
But when it happens spontaneously it can make a hotel experience quite wonderful.
asserted
experience → happen → ?
The Aporia
