ROAD TRIP

A power meeting one day, a trip to the Grand Canyon the next-road warriors, who try to mix work with pleasure whenever possible, admit that business travel has its perks.  In keeping with a growing trend, the majority of those polled -87%- report they take extra time out during business trips to sightsee.  When asked what they considered the best aspect of business travel, 53% said seeing other parts of the country.  (Employers, take heart-only 3% of respondents said they like getting away from the office).

As for those smaller, yet tangible travel perks, such as hotel bath amenities, it seems that even executives appreciate a free gift. Road warriors across the board report that shampoo tops their most-wanted amenity list, while soap and body lotion also find their way into executives� carry- ons. And leave it to business travelers to suggest some truly creative uses for hotel shoeshine cloths: some wrap up their jewelry in them; others claim they make great cell-phone covers; one intrepid traveler even turned his into a coffee filter.

Here are some other business-travel notes:

• 73% of business travelers choose to relax rather than work in the
• evening
• 58% do not travel with a laptop computer
• 54% file their expense reports within one week after a trip
• 70% bring home souvenirs from their trips
• The number-one packing tip: travel light

Dining out for every meal could prove hazardous to one�s waistline, but not for those road warriors polled-they travel light.  Remarkably, 63% of executives do not gain any weight on business trips, and 34% admit to gaining only 1 to 5 pounds.  This, despite the fact that 70% say they don�t diet while on the road, and 63% don�t stick to an exercise program when traveling. So, how do they manage to keep off all that extra baggage?  Well, apparently little things do mean a lot:

• 57% don�t go back for seconds at hotel breakfast buffets
• 47% stick to the same breakfast routine when traveling as they do at home
• 63% say it�s not hard to find a nutritional breakfast on the road

WHAT DO MEN REALLY WANT?

Maybe men really are the more sensitive sex, after all.  If nothing else, they seem to put more effort into keeping the home fires burning when they�re away. Of the executives surveyed, 61% of men call home every night when on a business trip, compared to 54% of women.

And who knew men were this sentimental: 44% of male business travelers say they bring along a photo of a spouse or loved one to remind them of home, compared with only 20% of women.

Bass Hotels Resorts(SM), the hotel business of Bass PLC of the United Kingdom, operates or franchises more than 2,700 hotels and 450,000 guest rooms in more than 90 countries and territories.