• by Tricia Despres , April 17, 2006

Check in, drop bags, collapse on bed. What does the average hotel guest do next?

Chances are he picks up the remote to see what's on TV. A recent Nielsen survey found that nearly 70 percent of hotel guests in the country's top markets turn to pre-formatted in-room programs to help them decide when and where to spend their money while they're in town.

"These are very busy, upscale people who want to know what to do and where to go. It's a highly actionable time for them when they tune in," explains Steve Wilson, president of CITYbuzz, a consortium of in-room hotel television networks in major U.S. markets.

On average, viewers watch 22 minutes of in-room programming. Advertisers crave this sort of attention from viewers, and are increasingly buying 30-second spots in this out-of-home segment. CITYbuzz's in-room networks broadcast city visitors' guides that repeat 24 hours a day.