Embassy Suites Hotels announced earlier this week the results of its 4th annual Business Travel Survey. The results? Well, despite all the nifty computer programs that make physical meetings less important, more business travelers are actually, well, traveling. At least more than traveled last year. In fact,
Here are some highlights:
--1/3 of respondents say that they're traveling more than a year ago to have face-to-face meetings with clients. 45 percent of respondents say they are traveling the same.
--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.
--People are instead being more frugal on the road by cutting back on meals and other incidental expenses (19 percent) or looking for hotels that are considered a good value (22 percent)
--61 percent of business travelers report maximizing a business trip by extending their stays for leisure purposes at least some of the time
--Nearly seven out of ten frequent business travelers said they extend their trips at least some of the time
--Business travelers stay, on average, an additional 3 days to take in the sights and culture of the area they're in (45 percent) or simply to relax (32 percent)
--Top cities to have a "bleisure" trip in are San Diego (60 percent), Seattle (39 percent) and Denver (36 percent)
--Nearly 20 percent of road warriors cite amenities as the most important factor when booking a hotel
--Almost half (46 percent) of frequent travelers would like more space to spread out in their hotel rooms
--Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of frequent travelers say that their biggest pet peeve is sharing a hotel room and 14% cite small hotel rooms as the culprit -- both rank even higher on the list than sitting next to your boss on a flight (7 percent)
--When asked in what ways they want to get more from hotels, approximately 70 percent of frequent travelers say free breakfasts, 54 percent say complimentary happy hours and 42 percent say high-definition televisions in their hotel rooms.
--51 percent of frequent travelers indulge on a business trip with breakfast, while 45 percent opt for a pre-dinner cocktail, 33 percent watch TV or movies and 29 percent sleep in
