Embassy
Suites Hotels announced today the results of its fourth annual
Business Travel Survey*, a yearly pulse of the business travel
community, which reveals the current state of business travel and what
business travelers want more of in 2012. This year?s survey
indicates that while the current economic climate is still a factor,
one-third of respondents report that they?re traveling more than a year
ago to have face-to-face meetings with clients. It also highlights the
ways in which travelers are looking to get the most out of their
business trips, from the incidence of ?business-turned-leisure? trips to
hotel value, and underscores the importance of technology on the road.
?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, Hilton Worldwide. ?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.?
Business Travel on the Rise?
The Embassy Suites? survey validates that the current economic climate
is still affecting business travel, but to a lesser degree than last
year. Fewer business travelers cite cut backs on travel due to the
economy (32 percent), down nearly 10 percent from 2011 (41 percent).
These results reflect the value of ?face-time? ? in-person meetings with
colleagues and clients ? in business relationships. Rather than
sacrifice these meetings, 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,? says Cynthia Good, CEO 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.?
Getting More Out of Business Trips with ?Bleisure? Travel?
In a phenomenon known as ?bleisure travel,? 61 percent of business
travelers report that they maximize a business trip by extending their
stay for leisure purposes at least some of the time. It is even more
common among those who travel often, with nearly seven out of ten
frequent business travelers extending their trips at least some of the
time. On average, business travelers stay an additional three days to
take in the sights and culture of the area they?re in (45 percent) or
simply to relax (32 percent). Where would business travelers most like
to extend their trips? The top cities to turn a business trip into a
?bleisure? trip are San Diego (60 percent), Seattle (39 percent) and
Denver (36 percent).
Wanting More from Hotels?
If one thing is clear from the survey, it?s that business travelers want
more from their hotel while on the road for work. Nearly one in five
respondents cite amenities as the most important factor when booking a
hotel, which means these savvy travelers are looking to get more than
the standard hotel fare. When asked in what ways they want to get more,
approximately 70 percent of frequent travelers say free breakfasts, 54
percent say complimentary happy hours and 42 percent desire more
high-definition televisions in their hotel rooms. When it comes to extra
space, a hotel with two rooms is a big draw for many business travelers.
Almost half (46 percent) of frequent travelers would like more space to
spread out in their hotel rooms, and 14 percent say their biggest travel
pet peeve is small hotel rooms.
?Today?s travelers are actively looking to get more out of their budgets
on the road, so Embassy Suites is proud to provide tremendous value in
every stay,? says Lee. ?For approximately the same price of another
upscale hotel room, guests can stretch out and relax in our spacious
two-room suites, power up for the day with free, cooked-to-order
breakfast and unwind each evening with complimentary beverages and
snacks at our nightly Manager?s Reception.**? And enjoy, they do: more
than half of frequent travelers indulge more on the road at breakfast,
while nearly half opt for a pre-dinner cocktail.
Avoiding Business Travel Meltdowns?
The survey also revealed the area that is most likely to cause strife
while on the road for business: technology. Because it is such a
necessity for today?s road warriors, tech mishaps are cited as the most
likely trigger for a ?business travel meltdown.? Nearly 60 percent of
frequent business travelers say that technology problems, such as issues
with a laptop computer or forgetting a mobile phone, are most likely to
cause a meltdown. ?There?s nothing worse than missing a deadline or not
being able to access that all-important presentation. I?ve regrettably
had to ask clients for a deadline extension because of a tech issue,?
says Good. ?To mitigate the risk that something tech-related will go
awry, I always make sure my hotel has a business center that is open
24/7, equipped with computers and printers that I can rely on, no matter
how late I may arrive.?
?The bottom line,? says Lee ?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?and that is certainly our goal at Embassy Suites.?
To make reservations for an upcoming business trip, travelers can visit embassysuites.com
or call 1-800-EMBASSY.
*Survey Methodology
The Embassy Suites Business Travel Survey was conducted by Wakefield
Research between February 27 and March 2, 2012, using an email
invitation and an online survey, among 701 American business travelers
ages 21 and older who have taken one or more business trips in the past
year. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The
magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number
of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.
For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are
95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more
than 3.7 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if
interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe
represented by the sample.
**Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal
drinking age.
About Embassy Suites Hotels
Embassy Suites Hotels, one of Hilton Worldwide?s ten market-leading
brands, gives guests more during every stay. The full service,
upscale brand offers spacious two-room suites, free cooked-to-order
breakfast and a nightly Manager?s Reception with complimentary
appetizers and beverages. Both leisure and business travelers looking
for an approachable, upscale experience feel right at home in the
brand?s inviting atrium environment. Embassy Suites Hotels has 213
properties across the Americas and an additional 26 in the pipeline. For
more information, visit embassysuites.com,
and connect with Embassy Suites at embassysuitesmediacenter.com,
facebook.com/embassysuiteshotels
and twitter.com/EmbassySuites.
About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the
lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to
extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton
Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in
accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated
to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences
across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800
hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and
include Waldorf Astoria Hotels Resorts, Conrad Hotels Resorts,
Hilton Hotels Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels,
Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2
Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages
the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors?. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com
for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide,
www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide,
www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide,
www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide
and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.
Photos/Multimedia?Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50218905lang=en
Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/embassy-suites-hotels-fourth-annual-business-travel-survey-135000921.html
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