MUMBAI—The Hyatt Place brand recently released findings from a Business Traveler Survey, which was conducted online by The Harris Poll and consisted of more than 1,300 adults across India, the United States and China who have traveled for business in the last 12 months (international business travelers), to gain a greater understanding of how business travel can deliver both personal and professional growth on the road.
As corporate travel continues to grow rapidly, the online survey sheds light on the evolving preferences and behaviors of modern business travelers in India.
The survey highlights how business travelers in India make the most of travel time and appreciate on-the-road perks. It puts forth that 91% view business travel as a time to re-energize both professionally and personally, and 90% of Indian business travelers feel motivated to get more work done when traveling for business, indicating that perhaps hotels should make it a priority to ensure provision of facilities that uplift their professional as well as personal experiences.
The Hyatt Place Business Traveler Survey provides insight into the mindset of these frequent flyers, including what motivates them and what they learn during their travels. Thriving in a fast-paced, competitive business environment, 95% of Indian business travelers are motivated to advance their career and most take business travel very seriously. The motivation of India’s workforce toward their career is reflected in the fact that 72% of Indian business travelers feel pressured to work longer hours when traveling for business, and 90% feel motivated to get more work done when traveling for business.
Ninety percent of Indian business travelers say business travel has taught them skills they can use to solve challenges in their personal life. When planning personal travel, 76% of Indian business travelers make use of shortcuts learned while on business travel when planning their personal vacations. In addition to these benefits, 95% say business travel helps them to communicate successfully with different types of people.
“With the recent economic boom, corporate travel is no longer a discreet phenomenon as an increasing number of business travelers are traveling to newer geographies for their professional needs,” said Sunjae Sharma, VP of India operations, Hyatt said. “They are more motivated than ever by personal ambition and desire for recognition, as well as seeking opportunities to grow. When they travel, they are looking for hotel experiences that offer convenience, comfort and connectivity to stay productive. Hyatt Place hotels are designed keeping in mind the requirements of these independent-minded and hard-working professionals, with the purpose of making their journey easier, more productive and successful.”
While on the road, business travelers are often multitasking and working in different environments, which can lead them to appreciating on-the-road perks. Conference calls become a casual occasion sometimes, with 30% of Indian business travelers stating that dialing-in in their pajamas is a major perk of trips that require hotel stays, according to the survey. Interestingly, their attention to health and fitness doesn’t waver, with 41% of Indian business travelers saying they exercise about the same or more when on the road traveling for business than they do at home.
