According to a new survey by Frequent Business Traveler magazine, business travel will increase substantially in 2014 and trigger growth in the travel and hospitality industries.

For the second consecutive year, over one-third (35.7%) of surveyed business travelers said they will travel more in the coming year than the current one, while almost half (47.2%) said they will travel the same amount, according to the survey.

The survey also highlighted several trends in business travel, including membership in frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, loyalty to hotel chains and airline alliances and preferences about where to work and eat. Conducted during the last quarter of 2013 in association with FlyerTalk, an online travel community, the survey polled 1,323 frequent business travelers.

“Business travelers are professional travelers, and they need to balance this aspect of their lives with getting the job done when they get to their destination,” said Jonathan Spira, editorial director of Frequent Business Traveler magazine. “The amenities and services they require are not always what hotels and airlines provide, and travel executives need to pay heed to what the business traveler is saying.”

According to the survey, here are some other key findings:

  • Hotels and airlines need to do more to ensure a more consistent experience for travelers, as 88% of hotel guests and 76% of airline passengers say their experiences are inconsistent. Last year, 83% of hotel guests and 77% of airline passengers had similar complaints.
  • Business travelers are more loyal to airline programs than to hotel loyalty programs. Almost 75% of surveyors would fly with a preferred airline or alliance even if a flight was not as convenient (80% in 2012), compared to 45% who would stay at a less-conveniently situated hotel in order to stay with a particular brand (58% a year ago).
  • Wi-Fi continues to impact buying decisions. One-quarter of survey respondents said the availability of in-flight Wi-Fi impacts their choice of airline and flight, while 73% look for free Wi-Fi when selecting a hotel. The percentages are virtually unchanged from last year.

For the more information on the survey, visit http://accura.cc/j43tkv.

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