Wi-Fi is important to 84 percent of business travelers choosing a hotel, while room rate is important to only 81 percent, the same as for distance from the business site, according to a RoomIt by CWT survey between Nov. 28 and Dec. 14 of 660 business travelers over 18 years old in the U.S., Canada, U.K., India, France, Italy, Germany, Australia and Mexico. Breakfast is important to only 79 percent of business travelers. The survey defined a business traveler as someone who spent at least one night away from home traveling for business in the past year.
A quarter of business travelers shop three or more sites before booking their hotels. Globally, business travelers are likely to stay at upper-midscale to upper-upscale properties. Thirty-five percent of those from India and 25 percent from Australia are most likely to stay in luxury properties, while 35 percent from Mexico, 32 percent from the U.S. and 27 percent from Italy are most likely to stay in upper-midscale properties. French travelers are the least likely to experiment with new hotel brands; just 26 percent would do so.
Ideal Hotel
Property attributes—quiet, cozy, spacious, boutique—and service—trustworthy, professional, personal, flexible, consistent—proved stronger determinants of an ideal hotel than did amenities, described as convenient, ecofriendly, tech-driven, lively or contemporary; image, described as luxurious, elegant, trendy or quaint; or location, described as urban, local, historic or residential.
Quality for price matters to 63 percent of India's business travelers, 44 percent of those from the U.S., 40 percent from Canada and 39 percent from the U.K. Coziness mattered to 49 percent of travelers from France and 39 percent of those from each Germany and Italy. Affordability's biggest impact sits in Australia, influencing 41 percent, while 54 percent of those in Mexico value trustworthiness.