Surprising Hotel Options Corporate Travelers Actually Value

Corporate travel buyers underestimate how much their travelers value hotel options that are convenient, personalized, and competitively priced with amenities, according to new research by the Global Business Travel Association.

The gap between buyers and travelers

GBTA’s study, which incorporates feedback from nearly 2,500 business travelers and more than 600 travel buyers and procurement executives, finds that buyers and travelers agree on one thing: that proximity to a work site and price are high priorities in choosing a place to stay.

But there’s a gap between how much more travelers value experiential factors such as proximity to restaurants and entertainment (84% travelers, 68% buyers) and traveler reviews (80% travelers, 67% buyers) than buyers.

Travelers also report that they want the corporate booking tool they use to make reservations to be personalized. Half of travelers say they would like their online booking tool to offer more hotels with amenity options, while only around one in five travel buyers acknowledge that personalization is a need.

Travelers prefer centralized payment options

Additionally, travelers want the option to pay for their hotel stays centrally, preferring payment efficiency options over having to use a personal credit card or carry an additional company card, according to the study. Only 30 percent of travelers report that they pay for their hotel through central or direct payment, but 88 percent of travelers said if their company offers central or direct payment with a hotel, they will choose that property.

Why? To minimize personal card charges and time-consuming expense reports. With workforce travel projects that can take days, weeks, months, even years - it’s asking a lot of employees to carry large expense amounts on their own personal cards (some may not have cards). 

CLC Lodging’s centralized payment solution now with the option to cover incidentals

CLC Lodging offers a completely centralized payment option so travelers no longer need to pay for incidentals with a personal card. Companies can elect to cover incidentals with a new Incidentals Covered account setting, so employees don’t have to provide a separate card during check-in. Instead, travelers simply include incidentals, in addition to hotel room fees and taxes, on their CheckINN Card, which prevents charges to a personal card and cuts down on time spent on expense management.

Take advantage of CLC Lodging

CLC Lodging lets you give travelers more of what they want: the option to search for hotels by amenities that are compliant with company travel policies and a new option to pay for hotel stays and incidentals all in one place.

Contact Member Support at 1.866.857.9747 Option 2 to opt-in to the Incidentals Covered payment solution and start making travel payments easier for your business and your traveling workforce.