Eco-friendly practices, better technology and in-hotel health amenities are major drivers in today’s hospitality industry, according to the most recent 2012 Lodging Survey from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA).

The survey, taken every other year, polled more than 52,000 U.S. hotel properties on such items as in-room amenities, security and technology, food & beverage, guest services and sustainability. The results, based on what guests are telling hotels they want, can be broken into three categories.

The environment: 

  • 76 percent of hotels have a linen and towel reuse program.
  • 75 percent have water-saving programs.

The Internet:

  • 23 percent (mostly upper-tier hotels) offer a mobile app for their services.
  • 95 percent of guests use third-party Internet sources for bookings.

Fitness:

  • 84 percent of properties offer an exercise or fitness facility.
  • 63 percent offer only nonsmoking rooms.

AH&LA members can see the complete survey at www.ahla.com.