Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Definitions
1.2 Methodology and sample size
1.3 Respondent profile
2 Company's approach on selecting airline and car rental choice for business travel
2.1 Companies' approaches to business travel booking
2.1.1 The majority of executives have no preferred travel provider
2.1.2 The highest percentage of large companies have a preferred air carrier, compared to small and medium-sized companies
2.2 Key factors for airline selection
2.2.1 Airline choice is influenced by comfortable seating, free baggage check, and free Wi-Fi access on flights
2.2.2 Good communication with airlines for pre-flight check-ins, flight updates via text message, etc. is a key selection criterion for executives operating in Europe
2.2.3 Ability to select seatmates prior to the flight is the least favored criterion for airline selection among senior-level executives
2.3 Decisive criteria for airline booking
2.3.1 Pricing, well known brands, and availability of deals and packages are decisive for airline bookings
2.3.2 Price the most influential factor in airline booking, regardless of region
2.3.3 In addition to pricing, the majority of executives from medium-sized companies prefer to select airlines on the basis of deals and packages
2.3.4 Good online reviews have relatively little impact on airline booking decisions by senior executives
2.4 Key parameters for car rental company
2.4.1 The highest percentage of executives favor car rental companies that offer car drop-off and pick-up services
2.4.2 Of executives from large companies, 67% choose a car rental company on the basis of provision for car drop-off and pick-up services
2.4.3 Of senior-level executives, 51% prefer a car rental company that provides car drop-off and pick-up services
2.5 Factors influencing hotel-booking decisions
2.5.1 Good online customer reviews, and deals and packages are key factors for hotel booking
2.5.2 Overall, 77% of executives operating in Asia-Pacific consider official star rating a factor in hotel-booking decisions
2.5.3 Of respondents from large companies, 83% each assign importance to deals and packages, and well-known brands for hotel reservations
3 Prospects for extending a business trip to a leisure trip
3.1 Extension of business trips for leisure purposes - additional days' leisure spend
3.1.1 The highest percentage of respondents spend fewer than two days on leisure when extending a business trip
3.1.2 Of senior-level executives, 13% did not extend business trip to a leisure trip
3.2 Extension of business trips for leisure purposes - staying preferences
3.2.1 Most respondents stay in the same hotel when a business trip is extended to a leisure trip
3.2.2 Regardless of region, the majority of executives prefer to stay in the same hotel when a business trip is extended to a leisure trip
3.2.3 Of industry respondents, 73% from medium-sized companies did not move to a different hotel when extending a business trip to a leisure trip
4 Travel meta search options
4.1 Significance of travel meta-search options
4.1.1 Of executives, 76% regard travel meta-search options as decisive for developing travel plans
4.1.2 Most hotel respondents consider meta-search options to be important for business travel plans
4.1.3 Regardless of region, executives expect travel meta-search options to play crucial role in forming business travel plans
4.1.4 Of respondents from medium-sized companies, 73% view travel meta-search options significant for business travel plans
4.1.5 Most senior executives consider travel meta-search options to be crucial for business travel plans
4.2 Popular travel meta-search websites
4.2.1 Trip Advisor and Expedia are the most used travel meta-search websites by executives in the last six months
4.2.2 Trip Advisor was the most preferred travel meta-search websites among respondents operating in independent hotels
4.2.3 Regardless of region of operation, most industry respondents used Trip Advisor and Expedia during the last six months
4.2.4 Of executives from large companies, 75% have used Expedia in the last six months
4.2.5 Deal base was the least-used travel meta-search site among senior-level executives during the last six months
5 Budget cutbacks for group incentive travel programs
5.1 Cutback expectations for group incentive travel programs
5.1.1 Executives expecting no change in budgets for group incentive travel programs
5.1.2 Most hotel-chain respondents anticipate a gradual reduction in group incentive travel
5.1.3 The highest percentage of executives in Europe expect no change in budget for group incentive travel programs
5.1.4 Of executives from large companies, 61% expect unfavorable prospects for group incentive travel programs
5.1.5 Most decision makers do not foresee any changes for group incentive travel programs
5.2 Reasons for cutbacks in premium travel plans
5.2.1 Rising expenses and global economic uncertainty influencing cuts in premium travel
5.2.2 Global economic uncertainty is the major deterrent to premium travel plans for executives from hotel chains and independent hotels
5.2.3 Rising costs a major cause of cutbacks in premium travel plans for executives who operate in North America
5.2.4 Premium travel plans of executives in large and medium-sized companies not adversely affected by lack of deals and packages
5.2.5 Of senior-level executives, 54% rate global economic uncertainty as a key reason for cutbacks in premium travel plans
6 Appendix
List of Figures
Figure 1: Profile of Respondents - By Company Type and Designation
Figure 2: Profile of Respondents - By Region and Turnover
Figure 3: Facilities offered by companies while booking for business travels - Overall and Region
Figure 4: Facilities offered by companies while booking for business travels - Company type
Figure 5: Role of promotional offers in traveler's selection of airline carriers - Overall
Figure 6: Role of promotional offers in traveler's selection of airline carriers - Region
Figure 7: Role of promotional offers in traveler's selection of airline carriers - Senior-level respondents
Figure 8: Major factors influencing airline travel booking - Overall
Figure 9: Major factors influencing airline travel booking - Region
Figure 10: Major factors influencing airline travel booking - Company type
Figure 11: Major factors influencing airline travel booking - Senior-level respondents
Figure 12: Importance of promotional offers in traveler's selection for car rentals - Overall
Figure 13: Importance of promotional offers in traveler's selection for car rentals - Company type
Figure 14: Importance of promotional offers in traveler's selection for car rentals - Senior-level respondents
Figure 15: Key drivers influencing hotel booking - Overall
Figure 16: Key drivers influencing hotel booking - Region
Figure 17: Key drivers influencing hotel booking - Company type
Figure 18: Traveler's view in extending a business trip to a leisure trip - Overall and Region
Figure 19: Traveler's view in extending a business trip to a leisure trip - Company type and Senior-level respondents
Figure 20: Hotel preference for a leisure stay - Overall
Figure 21: Hotel preference for a leisure stay - Region
Figure 22: Hotel preference for a leisure stay - Company type and Senior-level respondents
Figure 23: Significance of travel meta search options - Overall
Figure 24: Significance of travel meta search options - Respondents
Figure 25: Significance of travel meta search options - Region
Figure 26: Significance of travel meta search options - Company type
Figure 27: Significance of travel meta search options - Senior-level respondents
Figure 28: Leading travel meta search websites - Overall
Figure 29: Leading travel meta search websites - Respondents
Figure 30: Leading travel meta search websites - Region
Figure 31: Leading travel meta search websites - Company type
Figure 32: Leading travel meta search websites - Senior-level respondents
Figure 33: Frequency of group incentive travel programs - Overall
Figure 34: Frequency of group incentive travel programs - Respondents
Figure 35: Frequency of group incentive travel programs - Region
Figure 36: Frequency of group incentive travel programs - Company type
Figure 37: Frequency of group incentive travel programs - Senior-level respondents
Figure 38: Major barriers influencing cutbacks in premium travel plans - Overall
Figure 39: Major barriers influencing cutbacks in premium travel plans - Respondents
Figure 40: Major barriers influencing cutbacks in premium travel plans - Region
Figure 41: Major barriers influencing cutbacks in premium travel plans - Company type
Figure 42: Major barriers influencing cutbacks in premium travel plans - Senior-level respondents
