Constant Connectivity, Mobile Applications, and Digital Wallets Part of "Technological Transformation" Changing the Face of Business Travel, According to First-Ever Global Business Traveler Sentiment Index™

"A massive technological transformation is changing the face of business travel," said Joseph Bates, Vice President, GBTA Foundation. "At the heart of this radical disruption is Wi-Fi, which has become the indispensable technology for travelers. Wi-Fi and mobile technologies allow travelers to stay connected whether in their hotel rooms, at the airport, or at 30,000 feet. This transformation will only accelerate, and business travelers will demand always-on connectivity and mobile applications that allow them to stay in touch 24/7."

Australia, 16/07/2015 (informazione.news - comunicati stampa - turismo)

said Joseph Bates , Vice President, GBTA Foundation.

said Susan Chapman-Hughes , senior vice president, American Express Global Corporate Payments. "

The index makes four key findings:

As employees travel for business, they need to stay connected – meaning mobile devices and applications play a more important role than ever. Travelers, across the board, believe that Wi-Fi is "vital to their work productivity" – Mexico (90%); Brazil (87%); Canada (83%); United States (81%); United Kingdom (80%); Australia (75%); Germany (70%) and Japan (52%).

Additionally, business travelers, while generally satisfied with their trip experience, encounter several "pain points" that cause ongoing frustration, including airline delays, trouble getting through airport security, high airline fees and lack of Wi-Fi.

Travelers remain concerned about the health of the overall economy, but tend to be much more optimistic about their industry. At least half of travelers from Mexico (65%), the U.S. (54%), the UK (52%) and Canada (50%) report that the overall health of their industry is excellent.

Finally, major differences in Business Traveler Sentiment emerged on a country-by-country basis. Business travelers from Mexico , for instance, score higher than average across every Index component. Meanwhile, travelers in the United States , Australia and the UK all score just above average on overall business travel sentiment, while those from Germany , Brazil and Canada score just below average. Japanese business travelers are the least satisfied across all Index components, except social media experience.

The GBTA Business Traveler Sentiment Index™, in partner­ship with American Express, was fielded March 17 to April 6, 2015 , to business travelers within Australia , Brazil , Canada , Germany , Japan , Mexico , the UK and the U.S. through an online research panel.

Overall, 3,851 respondents qualified for the study (their pri­mary residence is located in one of the eight countries, they are employed part- or full-time, and they have taken four or more business trips in the prior 12 months).

View the full release or see the GBTA Business Traveler Sentiment Index™ – At a Glance executive summary.