Travel Trends, Good and Bad

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Business travelers are the most experienced travelers. I remember those days, when I was on the road (or on a plane) about half the time. You learn about life on the road, sometimes the hard way. You learn to find the best of everything, particularly hotels, restaurants, routes, bars, entertainment, and frequent flyer and hotel programs. I often accumulated enough points to take a family of four to Hawaii, and stay at a nice condo in Maui for miles and points. Yes, only miles and points!!!!! No cash.

It was about that time that I became enrolled in the Samurai School of Discount Travel. I eventually went to grad school and got my Ph. D. from that esteemed program. It has served me well over the years. These days, apps and websites abound. We started traveling when the telephone (not the cell phone) was the only way to communicate with travel related companies.

Along the way, the business traveler adopts a few habits, some good, and some bad.

Business travel in general is enjoyed by 48%!o(MISSING)f those who do it. Another 35%!c(MISSING)an take or leave it. Only 9%!s(MISSING)ay it is a necessary evil. But only 7%!o(MISSING)f us really considered ourselves true "road warriors". Then the masochists, only 1%!,(MISSING) would rather have root canal.

Can you believe that 71%!o(MISSING)f us snuck out of meetings and went sightseeing? When I had a meeting across from a Smithsonian, where would you expect me to go? Of course, back then, most of the female travelers went shopping.

I always tried to eat healthy, and keep up an exercise regime. A full 68%!o(MISSING)f us use the hotel gym, jog, play tennis, or workout in our room.

Now this is rather sad, that 40%!o(MISSING)f us order room service. I always tried to get outside, walk around, or drive to an interesting neighborhood. Once in a while, I would make a wrong turn, and end up in a ghetto or dead end street. That was part of the adventure.

Some of us are quite sneaky. Have you ever left your liquids in your carry on bag at security? Business travelers purposely try to get by, to the extent that 23%!o(MISSING)f us are sneakers of liquids.

Then, there are the cheaters, those who cheat on their expensive reports. One company I worked for allowed a meal, up to $50, without a receipt. Rarely did I ever have three meals each day in the $49.99 range, but needless to say, most of us exercised a great deal of discretion for fear of "The Enforcer" asking why we were eating so much.

Flying is often the most stressful part of the trip. I always thought it was going to or from the airport in a strange city. Here are the perturbations that travelers encounter:

22%!i(MISSING)nefficient boarding processes
20%!l(MISSING)ack of carry on space
42%!c(MISSING)ancellations and delays
16%!a(MISSING)irport security/TSA
10%!l(MISSING)ost or delayed luggage
26%!p(MISSING)oor customer service
51%!l(MISSING)ack of legroom
11%!r(MISSING)estrictions on loyalty programs
19%!a(MISSING)nnoying fellow passengers

So, what do we use in terms of apps to attack the business trip?

Some surprises here:

Google Maps 53%! (MISSING)
Kayak 22%! (MISSING)
Expedia 21%! (MISSING)
Yelp 17%! (MISSING)
Skype 15%! (MISSING)
Seat Guru 14%! (MISSING)
Orbitz 12%! (MISSING)
8%!T(MISSING)ripit
7%!U(MISSING)ber
4%!G(MISSING)ate Guru

And what are our favorite hotels?

1. Ritz Carlton
2. Luxury Collection
3. Kimpton
4. Waldorf Astoria Collection
5. Fairmont

Ritz had the best customer service rating, though Four Seasons had the best room design and amenities. Mariott wins for loyalty programs, followed by Starwood, then Hilton. Most of us want to get free Wi-Fi and hate to pay for it. Everyone has free Wi-Fi, so why not the hotels? Most of us, 55%!,(MISSING) value FREE Wi-Fi in our rooms. This is followed by 54%!w(MISSING)anting a nicely designed and comfortable room. It is hard to believe that choosing a hotel, based on their loyalty program rates with only 41%!o(MISSING)f us. Many of us, 33%!i(MISSING)n fact, like to get early check in or late check out. But only 29%!o(MISSING)f us value good customer service. I spilled the beans earlier regarding the best airlines. But here it is again, if you missed it: International Airlines1. Singapore Airlines (I agree)2. Virgin Atlantic3. Emirates4. Qantas (there is not "u" in Qantas)5. Cathay Pacific Domestic Airlines1. Virgin America2. Alaska Airlines (I agree)3. Jet Blue4. Delta5. Southwest If you travel monthly, I strongly suggest joining one of the airline clubs. Even if I am flying Alaska, I can use the United Club at any time. But the foreign airlines, affiliated through Star Alliance with United, offer the best amenities, including food, drinks, and showers. Besides tasty, free food and soft drinks, the foreign airline clubs offer free adult beverages and food that can be called a meal. Some have added quiet rooms that enforce a "no cell phone" or loud talking policy. And free newspapers, magazines, and Wi-Fi too. After my cell phone and tablet, the most valuable item in my carry on is my international plug converter from Tumi. My next favorite item is my Bose headphones and music player. That is closely followed by earplugs!! I hate noisy neighbors on any flight.
<br id="ecxFontBreak" /> Happy trails to you!!!!

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