The survey, which was conducted in conjunction with NYU, found that savvy, sophisticated women who travel for business today believe responsive service is the most important criteria to use when selecting a hotel for business.

�We appreciate the commitment of NYU to produce a thorough, objective study that sheds new light on the women business traveler segment,� said Fred J. Kleisner, president and chief executive officer, Wyndham International, Inc.  �These survey findings will enable Wyndham to continue to evolve our products and services to better accommodate the specific needs and expectations of women business travelers.�

�The release of this study marks the first time such an in-depth profile of the woman business traveler has been available to the hospitality industry,� said Dr. Lalia Rach, associate dean and director, The Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Travel Administration at NYU.

�The needs of women business travelers have changed and will continue to evolve,� said Cary Jehl Broussard, vice president of marketing for Wyndham�s WOMEN ON THEIR WAY program.  �We hope that the information we are making available today will encourage other travel companies to evaluate their products and services so that, as an industry, we can improve the entire business travel experience for women and ultimately for all guests.�

Findings not previously released include a profile of the quintessential woman business traveler, as well as her attitudes toward traveling with children on business and her attitudes/habits about exercising on the road.

Data from the Wyndham/NYU survey reveals that, on average, today�s woman business traveler:

• is over the age of 40
• is married
• has no children
• is employed full-time
• holds a management position
• has a personal annual income between $25,000 and $74,999
• is the secondary wage earner

• averages two to four trips per year
• values responsive service over other criteria when selecting a hotel
• thinks business travel is an important component of her job
• believes business travel makes her job more interesting
• feels the positive benefits of business travel outweigh the negative aspects
• eats at a restaurant away from her hotel when traveling with colleagues
• eats at the hotel restaurant when traveling alone
• tries to incorporate some leisure time into her trip in order to shop, visit historical sites, or participate in an outdoor activity
• consistently adds weekend days onto her trips
• wants specific conveniences, like express check-in and late checkout
• does not feel guilty about being away from home

The survey also found that there was no significant difference in the frequency of business travel between women with children and women without children.  [In fact, among women with children, 20 percent travel constantly (i.e., more than 11 trips a year) while 26 percent of women without children travel constantly.]  These findings debunk the old-fashioned myth that mothers resist business travel because of family obligations.  The survey also found that women with children do not bring them along on business trips.  About three-quarters of women with children almost never or seldom travel with them.  Of the quarter who do travel with children, only eight percent do so often or always.

�The data currently suggests that there isn�t a significant need to provide child-friendly amenities to women who travel on business, at least not on a broad scale,� said Dr. Lalia Rach.  �It�s clear that professional women want to maintain a separation between work and family.�

Exercise on the Road

Half of women who travel on business exercise a similar amount when on the road as at home.  However, four out of 10 report the opposite and exercise less on the road than at home.

Women who travel only occasionally (two to four trips/year) were less likely to exercise compared to periodic travelers (five to 10 trips/year) and constant travelers (11+ trips/year).  �These findings suggest that the less one travels, the more the trip is perceived to be an escape from the norm,� said Rach.  �Alternatively, frequent travelers may be better prepared to take advantage of exercise facilities than women who don�t travel as much.�

Of those who are likely to exercise when traveling on business, almost half exercise at the hotel facility, 23 percent do so outdoors, 13 percent exercise in the guest room, 11 percent use a hotel-affiliated commercial gym or health club, and three percent exercise in some other place.  �Women no longer hide in their hotel rooms when they travel alone on business.  The fact that more than one-third of women exercise outside their hotel is an indication of how confident they are when they travel,� said Rach.

Other Findings

• More than 40 percent of women business travelers who belong to Generation X are occasional travelers; 33 percent are constant travelers, and 25 percent are periodic travelers.
• Almost half of women business travelers surveyed vary their eating patterns.  Among these, 34 percent admit to eating foods that are less healthy than what they eat at home, 21 percent eat more often, and 24 percent are guilty of snacking on high-calorie foods.
• Among a list of motivations for ordering room service, �safety� was next to last, �indulgence� was number one, and �not wanting to eat alone in restaurants� was last.
• Shopping is the number one leisure activity for business travelers regardless of their age, income or gender.
• Women think that flight attendants and front desk staff treat men better, while men think that bell staff treat women better.

Survey Methodology
A national telephone survey was conducted March 24 - 31, 1999 using a purchased list of self-proclaimed female and male business travelers.  A total of 403 women and 203 men were surveyed.  The margin of error was +/- five percent.
 

Wyndham�s WOMEN ON THEIR WAY program is a distinctive, award-winning initiative designed to serve women business travelers by constantly staying in touch with them and evolving to meet their changing needs.  The program is composed of an advisory board and strategic partnerships with associations such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the LPGA Golf Clinics for Women National Program/Series and Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW/USA).

The Wyndham brand is owned and managed by Wyndham International, Inc. 

The Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration at NYU is a dynamic and growing educational and research center located in the heart of Manhattan.  The Center offers an extensive complement of hospitality, tourism, and sports management academic programs of study including two bachelor�s degree programs and two master�s degree programs.