Young business travelers may prefer being in a buzzing social environment during work hours, but once work is over, these same travelers want to spend evenings exploring on their own.
This finding is part of new research released by Hilton focused on what influences and shapes young professionals’ experience on the road, including their preferences in dining, workspaces and how they blend personal interests with professional requirements.
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The research from the hotel company found that 84 percent of young business travelers cherish their alone time during business trips, and nearly three-fourths (73 percent) report they have a better experience when they spend downtime on their own.
When asked how this group prefers to spend their free time, results included:
—Eating at local restaurants (69 percent)
—Exploring the city and/or neighborhood (59 percent)
—Sleeping or relaxing (56 percent)
—Working out (35 percent)
—Attending a Happy Hour (38 percent) or unwinding at the lobby/hotel bar (32 percent)
“We’ve all had over-scheduled business trips – with meetings from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and social obligations the rest of the evening – and the result is pure exhaustion. We applaud this next generation of travelers for highlighting a tension point many of us have dealt with for years,” said Vera Manoukian, senior vice president and global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
For its part, Hilton seeks to offer amenities and services that help guests recharge. Notable brand offerings include:
Five Feet to Fitness: Part traditional hotel room, part miniature fitness center, Five Feet to Fitness guest rooms are designed from the ground up with wellness in mind, with 11 different pieces of fitness equipment and on-demand classes just five feet from the bed.
Connected Room: As a high-tech hotel room, Connected Room lets guests control and personalize most aspects of their stay from one central device. This includes Hilton’s collaboration with SHOWTIME, offering guests complimentary access to the SHOWTIME library of shows and movies, without requiring credentials or a subscription.
In addition, the new Netflix offering enables guests to seamlessly access their Netflix account by logging in by entering their credentials with either the remote control or the keyboard on the Hilton Honors app.
The just-released data from Hilton also underscores how the workspace of business travelers – whether it’s a formal meeting room or multi-functional common space – plays a key role in triggering creativity, encouraging collaboration and ultimately contributing to positive outcomes.
Key findings on this front include:
—Bustling Environment: Two-thirds of respondents (63 percent) are more inspired in a busy, social environment when they are working alone/independently
—Natural Light: 92 percent prefer natural light/windows in a meeting space
—Colorful Spaces: 80 percent prefer a colorful meeting space with elements inspired by their surroundings
—Intuitive Technology: 82 percent prefer a meeting space with advanced, intuitive technology beyond Wi-Fi
This summer, Hilton is implementing a series of design concepts and technology packages at select hotels across its global portfolio reflecting the emerging trends and preferences identified by the new study. The offerings include:
—Meeting space design concepts including dynamic, social work areas that feature all of the amenities needed by remote workers – whether a guest or local; destination-inspired meeting spaces that take influence from the locale or multi-zoned meeting spaces that offer flexibility to encourage increased creativity and productivity.
—Technology upgrade packages designed to enhance meeting spaces with innovative products that can personalize the look and feel of meeting rooms for each guest, maximize collaboration and enhance efficiency.
These offerings include wireless charging stations, digital whiteboards and customized lighting and are currently available at select hotels, including Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, Hilton McLean Tyson’s Corner, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Hilton Mexico City Reforma.
