Is there a new face to business travel? It’s no surprise that the economy has had an impact on business travel since the U.S. economic downturn in 2008. The Embassy Suites Hotels fifth annual business travel survey showed that nearly 80 percent of survey respondents report that the economic climate changed the way they traveled for business over the past five years, including an increase in teleconferencing (33%), more pressure to book accommodations that offer great value (29%) and only flying coach (25%).
While business travelers may be making changes based on economic factors, it’s interesting to note that these changes may be for the better. In fact, 85% of survey respondents said they find business travel to be more enjoyable now compared to five years ago.
How has this changed how companies are reaching travelers? If they are smart, social media will be at the forefront of their efforts. 85% of survey respondents said they would follow a travel brand on social media in order to learn about travel deals, and more than 75% of survey respondents think online travel reviews are critical when preparing for business travel.
For more on this informative survey, take a look at the following infographic based on the survey results.
Infographic courtesy of Embassy Suites Hotels.
