That figure is even higher for hotel bookings, at 78%, and ground transport, at 71%, says a new report from CWT.
The report, Human vs Machine, also shows that booking travel on smartphones is growing – up to 41% currently compared to 34% in 2018 and 32% in 2017.
Nearly half (45%) book through a computer, 11% by tablets and only 2% of business travellers claim to get help from a person, according to the report.
“Technology is becoming more and more dominant in the travel ecosystem,” says Andrew Jordan, CWT’s Chief Product and Technology Officer.
“Digital interactions are taking over, so the travel industry must keep evolving to offer companies and their employees the experience they want and expect.”
European travellers are most likely to book through a desktop or laptop while business travellers in Asia-Pacific are most likely to use a smartphone.
When it comes to dealing with travel disruption, 33% believe mobile apps are the best way to handle changes while 21% prefer to speak to a travel consultant.
“The modern business traveler wants to be able to make decisions immediately at their convenience,” says Jordan.
“Companies need to empower their employees to have this control and give them the needed tools, such as mobile apps, to best equip them on their journey.”
The survey was instigated by CWT and conducted by Artemis Strategy Group earlier this year, and collated responses from more than 2,700 people who travelled four or more times on business in the previous 12 months.
