Although the sluggish economy continues to impact their travel plans, one-third of business travelers say they're traveling more than they did a year ago in order to have face-to-face meetings with clients, finds Embassy Suites Hotels' fourth annual Business Travel Survey, the results of which were released this week.
"As an upscale hotel brand with a significant business traveler base, it's very important that we listen to these 'road warriors' and understand what their expectations are so that we can consistently accommodate their needs and provide value each time they stay with us," said John Lee, vice president, brand marketing for Embassy Suites Hotels. "This year's survey shows us that while people are traveling more for business; those guests want to get more — literally — out of every trip."
The Embassy Suites' survey found that 32 percent of business travelers are still cutting back on travel due to the economy. That's down nearly 10 percent, however, from 41 percent in 2011.
According to Embassy Suites, these results reflect the value of "face-time" — in-person meetings with colleagues and clients — in business relationships. Rather than sacrifice meetings, it points out, people are being more frugal on the road by cutting back on meals and other incidental expenses (19 percent) or looking for hotels that are a good value (22 percent).
"Despite all the great technological advances, there is still no substitute for meeting someone in person," said Cynthia Good, CEO and founding editor of Little PINK Book, a leading digital platform for businesswomen. "Relationship-building is the best way to grow your business; getting to know someone in person and looking them in the eyes makes all the difference."
Other key findings:
• Sixty-one percent of business travelers report maximizing a business trip by extending their trip for leisure purposes at least some of the time.
• The top cities to turn a business trip into a "bleisure" trip are San Diego (60 percent), Seattle (39 percent) and Denver (36 percent).
• Nearly one in five business travelers cite amenities as the most important factor when booking a hotel, with the most popular amenities being free breakfasts (70 percent), complimentary happy hours (54 percent) and in-room high-definition televisions (42 percent).
• Sixty percent of business travelers cite technology problems such as having laptop issues or forgetting one's mobile phone as the most common trigger for a "business travel meltdown."
"The bottom line," Lee said, "is that even though business travel is coming back, road warriors need to feel that they're getting more out of their hotel stay. Hotel brands must create an experience that exceeds expectations."