Hotel Comfort

October 22, 2009

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Profile America — Thursday, October 22nd. Hotels and motels have long competed for customers on the comfort and convenience of their rooms. Long before coffeemakers and hair dryers entered the picture, more basic things were offered as incentives. This month in 1829, the Tremont Hotel in Boston became the first in young America to offer a private bathroom with each its rooms. With its 170 rooms, the Tremont was the first modern hotel in the country. Now, there are more than 46,000 hotels and motels across the country. Americans make about 350 million leisure trips a year, staying away from home about 4½ days. On these trips, just over 40 percent stay in a hotel, motel or bed and breakfast. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: 440 International, Those Were The Days
2002 Economic Census, NAICS 72111
http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/data/industry/E72111.HTM
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1223
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html