PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 2, 2019 — What does it take for today's business traveler to make the most of their time on the road and experience triumphant trips? La Quinta by Wyndham — a trusted hotel brand among career commuters for more than 50 years — along with esteemed entrepreneur and investor on the hit television series Shark Tank, Robert Herjavec, today unveiled the behaviors, quirks and realities business travelers face with the brand's first-ever "La Quinta Means Business" national survey.
In its new survey, La Quinta sheds light on burning business travel questions, including how many travelers actually unpack their suitcases, the latest they've stayed up preparing for meetings, the alarming number of people who have stocked up at the hotel breakfast bar for later and, yet, the number of business travelers who experienced loud, embarrassing stomach grumbles during a meeting. La Quinta is using these insights to help guests succeed while on the road with the signature amenities they need, including free high-speed Wi-Fi, free breakfast, 24/7 coffee and tea, signature comfortable bedding, modern fitness centers, spacious in-room work areas with charging stations and social gathering spaces.
"La Quinta is a longtime champion of business travelers, and hearing directly from this group allows us to better understand what motivates them and makes them tick so we can support them in the ways they need it most," says Lisa Checchio, chief marketing officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "Business trips are opportunities for travelers to triumph in their careers — and we want to be there every step of the way. Not only do our hotels help these guests prepare with amenities like free Wi-Fi, breakfast and a great night's sleep, but they also offer the expanded opportunity to earn and accumulate valuable loyalty points for their hard work and redeem them for sought-after perks like free nights through our award-winning Wyndham Rewards program."
Few understand how to succeed in business, in life and on the road quite like Robert Herjavec. Traveling more than 100 days a year and spending nearly 300 hours in the air annually, Herjavec is the definition of a road warrior with unique insight on the idiosyncrasies of business travel.
"I'm constantly traveling for business, so it's important that every facet of my travel experience, especially my hotel, helps me make the most of my most valuable resource: time," says Herjavec. "I'm thrilled to work with La Quinta by Wyndham, a brand that understands the unique challenges business travelers face and offers the essentials we need to succeed."
SURVEY SAYS: ALL IN A DAY'S WORK La Quinta's survey tapped into business travelers' mindsets, how they maximize their hotel stays, how they amp up for a big day and more:
Home away from home
- The bare necessities: Sixty-four percent of business travelers think it would be harder to go without high-speed Wi-Fi than clean underwear on a business trip
- A type A traveler: Forty percent of business travelers unpack their suitcases and put things in the closet or dresser
- Rest assured: Forty-three percent of business travelers married or in a relationship prefer to sleep in a hotel bed they have all to themselves the night before a big meeting
Road fuel
- But first, coffee: Thirty-four percent of business travelers say drinking coffee or tea is one of the most important ways to prepare for work while traveling
- Deep pockets: Nearly four in five (79%) business travelers have stocked up on food from the hotel breakfast bar to eat later in the day
- Hungry for success: More than a third (35%) of business travelers have had their stomachs grumble during a meeting or presentation
- The hangover: More than 1/4 of male business travelers (28%) have been hungover during a meeting or presentation while on a business trip compared to 14% of female business travelers
Points & priorities
- Paw-ssociates: Thirty percent of business travelers think that finding care for their pet(s) is among the biggest hassles to deal with when preparing to travel for business, while 23% think that finding care for their child(ren) is among the biggest hassles.
- Happy birthday to me: Eighty-one percent of business travelers say they've missed a special event, such as birthdays or holidays, due to business travel
- Loyal as the day is long: The majority of business travelers (59%) say they'd never stay in a hotel when traveling for work where they could not earn rewards points
The inaugural "La Quinta Means Business" survey comes on the heels of the brand's first integrated marketing campaign since it was acquired by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in May 2018 and joined the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program. The new campaign, "Tomorrow You Triumph," captures business travelers' unique experiences, mindsets and challenges, highlighting La Quinta's key business amenities that help deliver what guests need to prepare, relax and succeed while traveling. The first national television spot, "Screensaver," began airing in early April and hones in on the benefits Wyndham Rewards loyalty members can reap just by staying with La Quinta.
For more information, visit www.lq.com. The "La Quinta Means Business" survey was conducted by Wakefield Research between March 13 and March 19, 2019, using an email invitation and on online survey among 1,000 U.S. business travelers ages 35–54, defined as those traveling for business 10-plus times per year.
