That's according to a new survey, commissioned by Choice Hotels International, that looked at the preferences and practices of business travelers. Among the 529 travelers polled, 73% said hotel location mattered most when picking where they stay on the road, while 61% said the quality of the room was most critical.

Though free Wi-Fi came in third with 55%, Robert McDowell, Choice Hotels' senior vice president of global distribution, says complimentary Internet access remains "an important amenity for the business traveler ... More and more people are using multiple devices when they travel, and I think the expectation is, whether they're in a hotel room or on an airline, you can access free Wi-Fi most anywhere you go.''

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Whether it is the strong American work ethic or a new cultural "norm" at the office, a recent consumer survey by Travel Leaders Group reveals that a significant number of Americans can’t – or won’t – fully disengage while on vacation.  Over 95% of those polled state they "have or will take" at least one leisure trip in 2014; however, 48.9% of those individuals will check work emails and/or voicemail messages while on vacation.  Also, 38.5% of those surveyed are leaving vacation days on the table and not fully enjoying their benefits. 

The survey was conducted by Travel Leaders Group – a $20 billion powerhouse in the travel industry – from April 6 to April 28, 2014, and includes responses from 2,719 consumers throughout the United States.

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The aviation industry thrives on big numbers. A century after the first commercial flight took off, around $746 billion is expected to be spent this year on global air travel, a record 3.3 billion passenger journeys will be taken and 1,400 new aircraft help will whisk them across the skies.
But among these impressive figures there is a much smaller one that airlines are really taking note of: $5.42

That's the average profit made by airlines for each passenger they carry.

"With a net profit margin of just 2.4%, airlines only retain $5.42 per passenger carried," said Tony Tyler CEO of International Air Transport Association (IATA) at the group's 70th AGM in Doha, Qatar. "There is a mismatch between the value that the industry contributes to economies and the rewards that it generates."

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