Business travellers spent an average of £93 per night on hotel accommodation in 2004, a 13% increase on the previous year, according to a new survey.
The Barclaycard Business Travel Survey showed that budget hotels remained at the top of the popularity list. Despite 61% of travellers surveyed using them, a slight fall from 2003 suggests that traditional hotels are also offering good value.
The trend to stay in budget hotels appears to span all industries, according to the survey, with six out of 10 managers admitting they have stayed in a budget hotel during 2004.
Luxury does not appear to be the norm even for the top-brass, with 62% of board directors, 61% of CEOs, 56% of personal assistants and 50% of finance directors having stayed in budget hotels.
Tim Carlier, head of issuing at Barclaycard Business, said: “Even though business travellers are spending more on hotel accommodation per night, the trend to book into budget hotels remains a challenge for premium business hotels.”
By Jessica Gunn
Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis