New Tourism Trend: Travelling with Pets or Pet Sitting at a Pet Hotel?
Nadja Mlakar, Saša Zupan Korže
Abstract
Animals have been an important part of human life for ages. Nowadays, some people even treat pets as life-companions, which accompany them even on vacations. The main purpose of this article is a) to identify issues that owners deal with while planning a trip or when travelling with their pets and b) to present the attitudes of Slovenian pet owners regarding pet hotels. The research was conducted in Slovenia in 2019 and 2020, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The findings show that Slovene pet owners rather travel with their pets than put them in pet hotels, particularly when going on vacation by car and travelling on short trips through Slovenia or in neighbouring countries. Regarding pet hotels, pet owners are mostly concerned about professional care for their pets and less about the price of the service. The study gives important information to tourist accommodation providers and pet hotel providers on how to adapt their services to their ‘pet guest’ and satisfy the pet owners.