Embassy Suites Hotel 2013 Business Travel Survey

Embassy Suites Hotels 2013 Business Travel Survey EMBA SSY S UITES HOTELS• Despite the challenges of the economy, budget cuts and new travel fees, business travel has been on the upswing over the past five years: only one in five survey respondents has traveled less for business since 2008. Eighty-five percent say they find business travel to be more enjoyable now compared to five years ago. However, the survey revealed that the traveler of 2013 has become laser-focused on value in order to adapt to an increasingly challenging environment. The Economic Crunch Stricter Budgets and More Fees Nearly 80% of survey respondents Increase in teleconferencing 33% HOTEL Pressure to book value accommodations 29% reported the economic climate changed the way they traveled for business over the past five years Only flying coach 25% ...... Approximately one-third +, of respondents reported their company's business travel policies became more austere over the past five years CAUTION 70% of respondents said they're focusing on "safe" travel options that don't raise red flags with their company's finance department Value is King Business Travelers Have Become Savvier Almost half VALUE 50% 1st of respondents said their biggest travel "pet peeve" over the past five years is new fees for previously free items or amenities Nearly half of survey respondents said a great value is most important when booking a hotel for business travel in 2013 47% The Rise of Social Media Changing Interactions Between Travelers & Brands A whopping 85 percent of survey respondents said they would follow a travel brand on social media in order to learn about: NEWS SALE Other travelers' experiences with that brand Stay updated on the brand's latest news Travel deals 61% 29% 28% More than three-fourths of survey respondents think online travel reviews are critical when preparing for business travel. A Generational Shift More than half of respondents said they still call a brand's customer service department to share a business travel Younger business travelers differ from older as nearly two-thirds ages 21 to 29 share business travel experiences via a brand's social media page experience The Future of Business Travel "In the past, business travelers were more at the whim of brands. Now, the customer is at the center of the business travel universe. In 2013, they have more control over their business travel experiences and can expect that travel brands will make their individual needs a priority." PRIORITY David Kelly, About.com The Embassy Suites Business Travel Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 700 U.S. adults ages 21 and older who have taken one or more business trips in the past year, between February 14th and February 25th, 2013, using an email invitation and an online survey. 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.