According to new data from Hotels.com, business travel is showing signs of continued recovery, with travelers taking more work trips while placing greater emphasis on convenience, value and the ability to combine business and leisure.
According to Hotels.com’s latest Booked for Business reports covering U.S. and Canadian travelers, some 37 percent of Americans say they travel more for work than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. business travelers take an average of 10 nights of work trips annually, while technology workers and tradespeople are among the most frequent business travelers.
Technology workers, in particular, are traveling 50 percent more often than they did before the pandemic, with an average hotel budget of $264 per night, compared with $236 for business travelers overall. Finance workers also report some of the highest daily travel allowances, at $134, while Government workers report the lowest average per diem, at less than $79.
The reports also highlight the continued convergence of business and leisure travel. Nearly two-thirds, 63 percent, of U.S. travelers say the best business destinations make it easy to combine work and leisure, while 59 percent of Canadian travelers share that preference. New York, Los Angeles and Miami rank as the leading U.S. destinations, while Toronto, New York and London lead among Canadian travelers.
For hotels, the findings also suggest that business travelers continue to prioritize practical amenities over traditional upgrade-oriented benefits. Free breakfast ranks as the most valued hotel perk among U.S. respondents, cited by 49 percent, ahead of loyalty rewards at 39 percent and flexible check-in at 37 percent.
“Business travel is no longer just about getting from one meeting to the next,” Melanie Fish, VP of global PR and Hotels.com travel expert, said in a statement. “Travelers want a hotel and destination that can keep up with both sides of their personality—from high-speed Wi-Fi and an early breakfast before a big presentation to a great location and a comfortable place to unwind afterward.”
The reports also point to differences in how travelers behave on business trips. More than half of U.S. travelers, 56 percent, say they present a different side of their personality while traveling for work, increasing to 69 percent among Gen Z travelers.
Business travelers also reported changing their daily routines while on the road. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. respondents say they wake earlier during work trips than during leisure travel. Among Canadian travelers, 53 percent say they wake earlier on business trips and 33 percent report socializing more.