Wag! Survey Reveals 94 Percent of Travelers Would Trade in Favorite Hotel Amenities for Pet-Friendly Accommodations

As peak summer travel season approaches, Wag!, the #1 mobile-first platform that connects pet parents with professional pet caregivers for boarding, sitting, walking and drop-ins, surveyed pet parents nationwide to understand the obstacles they face when traveling with their four-legged family members. Between transit restrictions, hotel limitations and narrowed dining options, there is stress abound for pet parents planning a trip.

Wag! polled 1,002 respondents and found that 70 percent of frequent travelers almost always seek out pet-friendly hotels and 94 percent would trade away at least one common amenity – like a hotel bar – in exchange for more pet-friendly policies. The majority of respondents would even trade away concierge services and gym access.

Some other key highlights include:

• Putting pet needs ahead of your own: 26 percent of pet parents rank “pet friendly” as the top hotel attribute, ahead of service, convenience, comfort and even affordability.
• The struggle is real: 84 percent have encountered at least one issue with overnight accommodations when traveling with their dog or cat.
• Transportation proves troublesome: 56 percent of frequent travelers have experienced confusion or other issues with the location of their dog on a plane.
• Because they’re worth it: 36 percent would pay more than $100 per night extra for pet-friendly hotel accommodations.
• Removing the hurdles would make a world of difference: If they had no obstacles in doing so, 59 percent would bring their pets when traveling all or most of the time.

Wag! recently partnered with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to offer a bevy of pet-friendly benefits on-site – a first for a major hotel brand. “Wag!’s survey findings reinforce what we continue to hear from our guests – that meaningful pet offerings and amenities are more important than ever for pet parents,” said Kathleen Reidenbach, Chief Commercial Officer at Kimpton. “At Kimpton, we are proud of our best-in-class pet amenities, which now include on-property and at-home walks and drop-ins through our partnership with Wag!”

For more information, visit Wag!.