MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seventy-five percent of young professionals in the U.S. see business travel as a major work perk, with 65 percent considering it a status symbol, according to a recent survey1 commissioned by Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Hilton’s flagship brand today launches a new initiative to help the next generation of professionals make the most out of their work trips and navigate travel misconceptions. This effort will include partnering with relevant business travel experts, introducing an engaging social content series and hosting a new business traveler “boot camp” in the fall.
“With more than 575 hotels worldwide and nearly 100 years in hospitality, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has long served as a leader in and destination for business travelers,” said Stuart Foster, vice president, global brand marketing, Hilton. “Our focus on the next generation of business travelers underscores our commitment to being the most hospitable company in the world: we’re both creating and evolving exceptional experiences for new and loyal guests alike who choose Hilton for their work travel needs.”
The survey of business travelers ages 23-35 revealed overwhelmingly positive feelings towards traveling for work:
- Time to Travel: More than half of respondents (56 percent) say that they create reasons to travel for business
- Career Deal Breaker: Thirty-nine percent go so far as to say they wouldn’t take a job that didn’t allow them to travel for business
- Real Life Relationships: Eighty-one percent say they get more done while meeting face-to-face and 75 percent have made friends while traveling for work
Findings also illuminated sources of tension and challenges for today’s new business travelers:
- Road Warrior Weight: Sixty-five percent admit that they regularly pack workout gear, but end up not using it; 44 percent have gained weight due to traveling for business
- ‘Charge It’ Confusion: Forty-three percent often misunderstand what can be expensed and end up owing their company money
- Sunday Scaries: Thirty-eight percent start to feel stressed and can’t enjoy the weekend when anticipating business travel the next week
- Wardrobe Woes: Thirty-six percent are stressed by trying to pack the right clothes for any situation
- Bleisure Stress: Sixty-nine percent wish they could extend their trip for leisure, but 46 percent admit they feel guilty about doing so – 44 percent even worry it makes them look bad in the eyes of senior leadership
When staying with Hilton, young business travelers can find an array of solutions to combat the challenges they face:
- With Five Feet to Fitness, maintaining a wellness regime is as easy as rolling out of bed. The revolutionary in-room wellness concept brings more than 11 different fitness equipment and accessory options into the guest room itself.
- Finding healthy meals has never been easier. Herb N’ Kitchen, Hilton’s modern in-room delivery service and casual dining concept serves up healthy grab & go options.
- Inspired by Travel with Purpose, Hilton’s approach to responsible travel and tourism, Meet with Purpose was introduced. Through the initiative, meeting professionals can choose from a variety of health-conscious menu packages, including “Yoga and Yogurt”– which offers yoga classes followed by a gourmet yogurt bar – or the “Cut & Create” salad – an interactive dining experience that lets attendees customize their meal from a unique, custom-made wood display of fresh greens and accoutrements.
Additionally, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has enlisted the help of two business travel experts to address the survey findings and help guests maximize their time on the road. Together, they provided the following tips:
- Look Your Best to Feel Your Best: “No matter what, bring your workout gear on every trip. You never know when you might have unexpected free time to go for a jog or a quick walk. My added secret? I bring my nicest workout clothes when I’m traveling – you’re more likely to workout in something you are excited to wear!” – Payal Kadakia, ClassPass Founder and Director of The Sa Dance Company
- Follow the 1,2,3,4,5,6 Rule for a Week of Travel: “Bring one hat, two pairs of shoes, three pairs of pants/skirts, four shirts, five pairs of socks and six pairs of underwear. Packing based on a color palette can be helpful to ensure all items can easily be mixed and matched.” – Zanna Roberts Rassi, Co-Founder of Milk Makeup and Fashion Editor at Large at Marie Claire
For more tips from Payal and Zanna, plus additional information on the Hilton Hotels & Resorts New Business Traveler initiative, visit newsroom.hilton.com/hhr/newbusinesstraveler or follow along on social via Facebook (@Hilton), Instagram (@hiltonhotels) and Twitter (@hiltonhotels) using the hashtag, #RightHere.
About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
For nearly a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has been proudly welcoming the world's travelers. With 575 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts provides the foundation for memorable travel experiences and values to every guest who walks through its doors. As the flagship brand of Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to set the standard for hospitality, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests' evolving needs. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a part of the award-winning Hilton Honors program. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi, and digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app. Begin your journey at www.hilton.com, and learn more about the brand by visiting news.hilton.com, or following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 5,300 properties with more than 863,000 rooms, in 106 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company's portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, and free standard Wi-Fi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
1 Hilton Hotels & Resorts commissioned a 15-minute, online survey among a nationally-representative sample of 1,200 business travelers, ages 23-35, who stayed in a hotel (domestic or international) for business purposes at least once in the past 12 months in addition to a nationally-representative sample of 400 U.S. adults, ages 23-35, who have not yet started traveling for business but anticipate starting soon. The margin of error for both samples is +/- 2.1% at the 95% confidence level. The survey was fielded between March 6 – 19, 2018.
