June 7, 2000
DALLAS, TX -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and New York University Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration
(NYU) announced yesterday that the full text of its groundbreaking survey of women business travelers is now complete
and available online in its entirety for public use beginning June 9, 2000.
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 full results of the survey will be posted June 9 on Wyndham's WOMEN ON THEIR WAY® Web site (www.womenbusinesstravelers.com
or www.womenontheirway.com) and will also be available through Wyndham's
Web site (www.wyndham.com) and NYU's Web site (www.scps.nyu.edu/dyncon/hosp).
``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.
Who is Today's Woman Business Traveler?
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
With specific regard to business travel, she:
-- 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
Do Kids and Business Travel Mix?
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.
About Wyndham
The Wyndham brand is owned and managed by Wyndham International, Inc. (NYSE: WYN). Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
is an upscale, full-service hotel chain with products located in urban, suburban, and select resort markets and
tailored to best serve its core customers, which include business and leisure travelers. For reservations, call
a travel planner, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts at 800-WYNDHAM, or visit Wyndham on the Internet at www.wyndham.com.
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). For additional information on the program please visit the Web
site at www.womenontheirway.com or www.womenbusinesstravelers.com.
About NYU
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.
In concert with NYU's location in the financial and hotel capital of the world, coursework is concentrated in the
areas of asset management, financial analysis, destination management, strategic marketing systems, meeting and
conference management, and information technology relative to the international hospitality and tourism industry.
SOURCE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and New York University Center for
Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration