Being a consumer advocate, I tend to focus on the misdeeds of the travel industry. I ought to look the other way occasionally. It turns out a lot of travelers are closeted kleptomaniacs.
Don’t believe me? Why else would hotel chains like Holiday Inn have a Towel Amnesty Day — a concept so unusual (and creative) that it even won the company an industry award.
The extent of our burglarizing ways — notice I’ve shifted to the “we” to include myself — hasn’t really been statistically documented. And there’s a reason for that. Which company in its right mind would do a survey on guests who steal?
How about TripAdvisor?
OK, so I’ve had harsh words for TripAdvisor in previous news articles and in a recent blog posting, in which I took it to task for releasing a survey that was heavy on hype and light on numbers.
TripAdvisor responded by sending me the whole survey — all 239 pages of it. And you know what? It’s the real deal. They left a lot of really good information on the cutting room floor. Including a question about stealing.
Question 18: “Have you ever taken anything from a hotel such as towels, bathrobes, flatwear, glassware or decorative pieces?”
20 percent said “yes.”
A breakdown of the answers offers glimpse into the criminal mind of a hotel guest.
» Guests who were younger than 35 admitted were more likely to steal: about 37 percent said they had swiped something.
» The 50+ crowd was the most honest. Only 15 percent admitted to taking something.
» Men are slightly more likely to burglarize a room than women, with 22 percent of male guests saying they stole something, and only 19 percent of women.
A total of 6,572 people took the survey, with respondents broken down by three regions: U.S. and Canada, U.K., and international. From all appearances, it’s a completely legit poll that shows a side of travel that few travel companies (and travel reporters) ever openly discuss.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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