<div>Guess what? 23 per cent of Indian business travellers in 2011 were women, says Amadeus in its recent report. That’s one million ladies on the move!<br /> </div><div>And this number is likely to rise. So are the airlines and hotels taking note to meet their needs? </div><div>Oh, yes, they say, trotting out a list of what they are doing to woo women travellers. From feminine vanity kits in rooms to lifestyle managers to special rooms with extra large bath area, women are being offered more now. Wyndham Worldwide even runs a comprehensive blog for women business travellers (womenontheirway.com) with tips on everything from packing to staying healthy on tour. <br /> </div><div>But at the other end of the spectrum — the mid market and mass market levels, there’s a big gap between what women want and what they get. Even at the high-end, what the hotels give (pink frilly curtains or special corridors) is not what women actually want. Most say they want to feel protected without being segregated.<br /> </div><div><strong>What Irritates Women</strong></div><div>Overhead lockers, aircraft loos, menu designs, and the products on inflight shopping, says Punam Singh, country representative of India at London & Partners. <br /> </div><div>“Dim lighting in rooms, lack of enough plug points, the fact that there are so few comfortable eating out options for single women, and airline pursers who look away rather than help stow your luggage,” says Sonali Dutta, vice president of corporate affairs at Bry-Air. <br /> </div><div><strong>What Women Want</strong></div><div>At the macro level, according to a survey of hotel ma­nagers’ perceptions of wo­men’s needs, they like to stay at hotels where they feel safe, empowered and pampered. At the micro level, tiny things like someone to help drape sarees, reports the Taj Group, which now sends lady staff to assist. <br /> </div><div>Jessie Paul, CEO, Paul Writer, says she prefers to stay at the same hotels “as familiarity gives comfort”. “At the basic service level, women don't need anything very different. But if hotels are trying to differentiate themselves to woman travellers, then they could offer luggage assistance, choice of toiletries on arrival, ironing service, room service extras, discount vouchers for affinity brands…,” she says. <br /> </div><div><strong>What Women Get </strong></div><div>By and large most hotels still only stock male-centric accessories in the rooms (shoe polish, razors). To be fair though, many are getting it right. Take the Westin, Gurgaon, which has special rooms for women travellers on every floor which have make-up tables, and oversized bathrooms.<br /><br /> The upcoming Dusit Devarana in Delhi promises to have high-end vanity kits for lady guests, a tailor on-call to stitch a costume in 24 hours. The Taj group has lady butlers for single women guests. At Hilton Garden Inn Gurgaon women get special amenities (feminine room fragra­nce, loofa, dental kit and sanitary bags). <br /> </div><div>Most hotels are also providing gender sensitive training such as not saying aloud the room number of the women guest and not giving rooms with interconnecting doors to single lady travellers.<br /> </div><div>Virgin Atlantic says it offers a more generous baggage allowance, and has designed its in-flight programme with special emphasis on women travellers (more rom-coms). Plus spa and beauty treatments at its Clubhouses.<br /> </div><div>It’s a start, but as more women storm the corporate citadel, expect further improvements. <br /><br /><div>chitra(dot)narayanan(at)abp(dot) in<br /><br />Twitter: (at)<span style="line-height: 1.4;">ndcnn</span></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 25-03-2013)</span></div>