Hotel technology adoption advances among business travelers: study

Major hotel chains establish a footprint among business travelers through their mobile applications

Hospitality

By Allie Sanchez

Recent data from a study by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation revealed major hotel chains are gaining traction in establishing a mobile presence among business travelers.

The study specifically showed that 61% of respondents have an app of one of the seven major hotel chains installed on their mobile phones in the past year, and 54% have at least two apps.

These platforms are mostly used to check reservation status (43%) or manage loyalty points. Almost 40% use the applications to book a room. However, use of the technology is limited outside these functions. Only 25% searched for new restaurants with it and only 10% used it to contact hotel employees.

Further, the Best Western sponsored study delved into reasons why the apps are not yet installed on the mobile phones of some business travelers. More than 33% said they can use alternative services over the internet or in person, while 28% feel they will not benefit from the app. Around 20% believe downloading the app is not worth the time and effort.

While hotels have invested in advanced technology enabled services such as mobile check-in and keyless entry, the needs of business travelers remain basic. Preferences include USB outlets (35%), streaming services (34%) and in-room chargers (32%).

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