The majority of business travellers prefer staying in chain hotels, a survey published by the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC) has confirmed. Some 75 per cent of business travellers said that they would “prefer the safety of a chain hotel”.

The survey of over 1,000 business travellers, prepared by HRS Global Hotel Solutions and conducted by AudienceNet, revealed that those surveyed stated that they feel safer in a hotel and know what to expect in terms of service and facilities. This was contrasted with “the fear of the unknown attached to room and home shares”.

Brand loyalty and the reassurance of a certain standard of accommodation were also guiding factors in confirming hotels as the preferred choice.

Nevertheless safety only came into play after the more traditional factors of where to stay, namely location, price and easy of booking. The survey revealed the following key factors in determining where to stay:

  • Location – 71 per cent
  • Price – 55 per cent
  • Ease of booking – 53 per cent
  • Safety considerations – 49 per cent
  • Facilities – 47 per cent

In terms of travel policy nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of business travellers have a booking policy for accommodation. Almost half (45 per cent) are permitted to book directly with a hotel, whilst just over a quarter (27 per cent) are permitted to book via an external travel management company.

Connectivity is key with free wifi listed as the most important facility (96 per cent), followed by sufficient power sockets (95 per cent), breakfast (94 per cent) and suitable work or desk area (89 per cent).

Paul Wait, chief executive of the GTMC, said: “For today’s business travellers it is peace of mind in terms of facilities and traveller safety that mean hotels continue to hold the trump card when attracting the corporate market, despite the ever-increasing popularity of the sharing economy.

“Whilst shared homes might be able to compete on price and location there is the ongoing issue of safety and connectivity. With both guaranteed at hotels, business travellers and company owners are assured of the facilities in place for effective working and more efficient business travel.”