Just over 30 percent of business travelers expect to travel more in 2006 than they did in 2005, according to a November survey conducted by the CWT Business Travel Indicator. Forty-eight percent predict they will travel at least the same amount. The study was released on the heels of studies by industry experts that indicate airfare and hotel room rates will rise by 4 to 5 percent in 2006. The results contain no real surprises - corporate spending on business related travel has always risen to match the market. This consistency and resilience makes the business travel industry a valuable source of revenue, and lodging properties are thrust into a realm of ultra-competitiveness to increase their property’s appeal to the company traveler.

What steps can you take to get your property into the mix? What kinds of amenities are business travelers looking for, and how can you entice them into staying at your hotel, bed and breakfast, or inn? We can’t all be exclusive to the market - many larger lodging companies own hotels that tailor specifically to those travelers. If you have the resources and size to compete with them directly, great - but even if you don’t, you can still take note of their amenities and features and adapt them to fit within your own property.

In this article, we’ll take a look at two hotels that are at the forefront of the lodging industry for business travel. GrandStay Residential Suites is a modern chain of hotels that offers extended-stay lodging to executives; ae’ll look at GrandStay - Madison. The Timbers, a residence hotel in Denver, is a good example of an individual property that has taken innovative steps to ensure its place among the top business hotels in Colorado. I’ll highlight some of the things these two properties are doing, and offer ways in which their ideas can be adapted and scaled down a bit.

The highest priority, unfortunately, is not something you can do much about. Location has been cited time and time again as the most important consideration when people book corporate travel itineraries. This means the vast majority of business travelers desire a short commute to their corporate offices or meetings once at their destination. This doesn’t mean that an inn or bed and breakfast 10 or 15 miles outside a city shouldn’t target the business traveler - some prefer the more intimate setting of those properties and will drive a little further to stay in them. But if you’re a small country inn 70 miles away from anything, you’re better off advertising as a corporate retreat. If you’re in a reasonable location for a business traveler, and feel like you can capture some of the market, start by spending an afternoon to take a realistic look at the competition in your area. How does your property fit? Gauge the amount of money you should spend on upgrading the amenities of your property by analyzing the appropriateness of your business and the potential of your area for business travel.

The next step is to take a look at the industry leaders to get ideas for potential upgrades. Think about it as a “Tier of Convenience” - for whatever task the guest needs to do, you lose points the farther away from their room they have to go to get it done. Provide what you can directly in guest rooms, then the hotel property, then outside the hotel (usually by making deals with area businesses to provide what you cannot). Stay as high in the tier as possible for as many services as possible.

Let’s take a look at some of the amenities that our sample properties offer to corporate travelers:

GUEST ROOMS: High speed internet access is consistently cited as a very important feature when considering business lodging options. If at all possible, provide this for guests. The lack of it may be enough to turn people away from your property. In addition, fully equipped kitchens, telephones with data ports, irons and ironing boards, and business desks are all seen as key. These features enable guests to accomplish a lot of tasks without even leaving their rooms. The trick for smaller properties is to scale down amenities as needed. Obviously, a full kitchen in each guest room is not a possibility for many, but how about placing small dorm-size refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers in the rooms? Still too much? How about one large communal refrigerator in your property’s kitchen and a microwave in the dining area? Buy some irons, ironing boards, and hair dryers to place in each room, or keep a few at the front desk for guests to sign out.

EXERCISE ROOM: After sitting in a board room all day, many business travelers like to blow of some steam with a little exercise. Access to fitness equipment is near the top of desired amenities in many of the surveys I researched. But what if you don’t have the room or means to provide it on your property? Get creative and consider other options. Contact a nearby gym and work out an arrangement to give your guests free or discounted access to their facilities. Are there hiking and biking trails near your property? Advertise them as a way to get the heart pumping. Consider providing some equipment (bicycles, snowshoes, skis, etc.) to make it easier for your guests to utilize the suggested options.

CONFERENCE ROOM: Obviously, a sizable meeting room gives business guests the option of working without even leaving your property. If you’re unable to provide a large area for conferences, consider what you are able to offer. Is there a school or church nearby that rents out meeting rooms? Is your library large enough for smaller conferences? Can you afford to buy a projector, screen, and other business related items to keep in your library? Can you offer a business lunch, either in-house or catered, for those all day meetings in your library?

OUTDOOR FUN: Business parties often travel in groups, and groups are perfect for a little outdoor recreation. Not everyone can have a basketball and/or tennis court on-site, but you can provide guests some social opportunities that will make them feel more at home. Consider providing a variety of outdoor games like volleyball, croquet, horseshoes, or even lawn darts. Keep the equipment behind the front desk and let guests sign them out for the evening. How about throwing a barbecue grill out there as well?

SERVICES: Both sample properties strive to make their services as efficient and convenient as possible. Laundry services are a great way to help guests stay at the top of their game. If you cannot provide a washer and dryer, try to work out a deal with a local coin laundry for pick-up service. Contact a local dry-cleaner and discuss options for discounted, same-day service. If you offer a leisurely breakfast each morning, consider also providing some items for a quick bite - GrandStay-Madison has experienced enormous success with its “Gourmet Express Breakfast“.

BUSINESS CENTER: The Timbers in Denver has added a Business Center on their ground floor. This is a great example of innovative thinking to get a leg up on the competition. The Business Center is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and features complimentary access to computers, a copy machine, a fax machine, and a scanner. They also provide all of the little office products like staplers, paper clips, pads and pens, scissors, and a hole punch. They’ve even provided an ATM in the Business Center! Obviously this is convenience on a grand scale, but you can borrow some of their ideas. Can you purchase a small copy machine for your library? Can you provide 24 hour access to your fax machine? Is there a desk or place in the lobby to supply some of the little things like staplers? Anything you can do to make it easy for your guests to accomplish tasks under your own roof will make an impression and keep business travelers coming back.

Corporate travel is not going away anytime soon. If your property suited to the market, why not tailor it to attract your share of the profits? Don’t count yourself out because you don’t think you can compete with the big boys. Start by getting a realistic idea of how much time and money is worth putting into it, and then do what you can. This article has shown you some ideas from the industry forerunners; scale them to fit your own needs. Do some internet and localized research, and pick up whatever concepts you can from hotels that successfully cater to business travelers. After implementing the changes, update your website and other advertising to incorporate them. You’ll be amazed how even small changes can make a difference.

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