A FOUR Points by Sheraton survey has found Asia’s road warriors are the friendliest, with Indian and Chinese business travellers more likely to share a flight with a co-worker, keep in touch with a contact made on the road and hang out with colleagues in their free time.
According to the study, the majority of business travellers (61.1 per cent) globally preferred not to share a flight with their colleague, compared to 50.5 per cent among the Chinese. Some 70 per cent of Chinese business travellers also stay in touch with someone they have met on the road, compared to the overall figure of 64.4 per cent.
Indian business travellers are the most likely to hang out with colleagues at a bar or restaurant (61.1 per cent), and were also inclined to catching up with friends who live in town (52.6 per cent).
Overall, 42.9 per cent of business travellers polled said that aside from sleeping, socialising with colleagues at a bar or restaurant during their free time was the activity that took up most of their time in a hotel. In comparison, 39 per cent sweat it out at the gym, 37.5 per cent unwind at the spa and 34.2 per cent indulge in retail therapy.
“Business travellers have a real need to connect on the road – both virtually and in person,” said Brian McGuinness, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide’s senior vice president, specialty select brands.
“Our survey results reveal that road warriors are social, preferring to network or to relax in the company of colleagues rather than just enjoying solitary pursuits.”
The 2012 hotel business travel study commissioned by Four Points surveyed 6,000 business travellers from the US, the UK, China, India, Germany and Brazil.
