While seven in 10 business travellers are satisfied with their company’s hotel policy and preferred suppliers, there’s still room for improvement, according to a BCD Travel survey.
Common issues for the 1,035 global business travellers questioned include slow Wi-Fi, breakfast not being included in the rate, outdated rooms and uncomfortable beds.
The survey found that most travellers opt for midscale (3-star) or upscale (4-star) hotels when travelling for business.
Hotel location (77%) plays a major role in selecting a hotel, along with employer policy (56%) and cost (53%).
Travellers who occasionally stay in apartments say this accommodation is more convenient for longer stays, providing more space, the option to prepare meals and do laundry.
Over three-quarters of business travellers use their company’s online booking tool (OBT) to search for accommodation, while a third use hotel websites or apps.
When booking, 84% use their company’s OBT, one in five book directly via supplier websites and one in 10 calls the hotel.
A third report no challenges during the booking process. Those who do say the biggest challenge is insufficient rate limits set by employers.
Three-quarters pay with a corporate credit card. The same number say their employer sets hotel rate limits, one in 10 report no limits and 18% don’t know if their employer sets limits.
Hotel choices are influenced by personal preferences: 77% prefer chain hotels with familiar service standards and 73% stay at the same hotel when repeatedly visiting a destination.
Wi-Fi and breakfast are the most frequently used hotel services. Other popular amenities include on-site restaurants and bars, parking, fitness centres and flexible check-in/check-out.
Travellers also value complimentary bottled water, gyms, pools, spas and healthy food options.
Hotels that help them maximise loyalty points are favoured, especially in North America, where as many as 99% are members of a hotel loyalty programme.
Eight in 10 participate in at least one programme and many are enrolled in two or more. Two-thirds often or always choose hotels aligned with their loyalty programmes.
Three-quarters say their employer allows them to keep points earned from business stays, while 21% are unsure. Safety remains a concern.
Three in 10 say they didn’t feel safe in their hotel location and seven in 10 double-lock doors when in the room. Half of travellers rarely or never consider environmental factors when booking hotels. Four in 10 don’t take any sustainability elements into account at all.
Only one in five look for features like eco-certification, reduced single-use plastics, low carbon emissions, water-saving measures or limited housekeeping.
Teri Miller, Executive Vice President, Global Client Team at BCD, said: “A high-performing hotel programme is never static. It’s a dynamic strategy shaped by continuous rate monitoring, traveller insights and agile adjustments. By embracing dynamic sourcing, travel managers can respond in real time to shifting needs and market conditions, creating programs that deliver savings, earn traveller trust and drive adoption.”
April Bridgeman, Senior Vice President of Hotel Solutions, said: “Hotels may not be the primary driver of carbon emissions in a travel programme, but they’re still an essential part of an holistic sustainability strategy.
“Travellers often don’t consider sustainability when shopping for hotels because most booking tools lack strong sustainability guidance in that category. We advise clients to embed sustainability into their annual hotel sourcing exercise and then clearly communicate expectations and targets back to travellers to help them make better choices.”
