Hotels Are Ditching Bibles Faster Than Ever—The Surprising Truth Behind a Dying Tradition!
Bibles are disappearing from hotel rooms across the U.S., and changing guest expectations are driving the shift. 🌐 #News #NashvilleTN #Tennessee #Lifestyle
NASHVILLE, TN – The sight of a Bible tucked inside a hotel nightstand has been a common experience for decades. But that tradition is fading. A report from STR, a hospitality research firm, reveals that fewer hotels are stocking religious texts. In 2016, only 79 percent of U.S. hotel rooms had Bibles available, down from 95 percent in 2006. This trend signals a significant cultural shift within the hospitality industry.
What’s Behind the Decline
Hotel chains are giving more freedom to franchise owners regarding whether to provide Bibles in their rooms.
One major exception is Marriott. Bill Marriott, former CEO of the hotel group and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, mandates that most Marriott locations carry both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. However, this rule does not apply to all their brands. Moxy and Edition hotels—both Marriott-owned—do not follow the Bible policy.
Luxury hotels and urban-based properties are particularly less inclined to offer religious texts. Brands like CitizenM, Freehand, and Generator aim to attract younger, modern travelers and have moved away from the traditional hotel room Bible.
The Group Behind the Hotel Bibles
For over a century, Gideons International has been the driving force behind hotel-room Bibles.
This Evangelical Christian organization began in 1899 when two traveling salesmen shared a hotel room and envisioned spreading religious literature.
By 1908, they had launched a widespread campaign to place Bibles in hotels, offering free copies to managers and equipping every room.
The group’s efforts were so successful that by the 1920s, “Gideons” became synonymous with hotel Bibles.
Other religious groups, such as the Mormons, eventually joined the practice by offering hotels their own religious books.
In some cases, hotels provided a mix of texts from multiple religions. But even as alternatives emerged, the Bible remained the most common hotel-room staple.
As of today, it’s estimated that more than two billion Bibles have been distributed by the Gideons have worldwide.
Cultural Changes Shaping the Future
As society shifts and hotel brands aim to cater to diverse, younger guests, the presence of religious texts is expected to continue its decline.
With new generations prioritizing different travel experiences, the traditional Bible in the drawer may soon become a relic of the past.
RELATED TOPICS: Faith | Hotels | Lifestyle | Travel
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