Expedia Study Reveals Pet Peeves of Administrative Professionals Who Arrange Travel

BELLEVUE, Wash., April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today is Administrative Professionals Day and, to recognize the day, Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE), the world's largest full service online travel site*, gave voice to the often-overlooked and underappreciated individuals who organize office travel with the first of its kind travel study of administrative professionals. The study, which identified employees who commonly arrange business travel for their colleagues, found that while booking travel is typically a small part of these individual's jobs, it is by far the hardest and least valued by their peers.

The study also found that three out of four (76 %) respondents believe business travel is as important to their company's success – if not more so – this year than it was in 2013 based on budget. Despite this, of the over 3,000 travel arrangers studied, more than three quarters feel they are not highly appreciated for managing company business travel.

The quirks and perks of booking business travel for colleagues

• Nearly 80% of those studied report that their companies need to do a better job optimizing their business travel loyalty rewards programs – leaving valuable rewards points on the table. A nice way to reward those hard working travel arrangers would be to share with them, as 63% said they were more interested in receiving travel loyalty rewards points in appreciation of their work than extra vacation days (34%). 
• 54% of administrative professionals claim their biggest pet peeves when making travel arrangements for others include the last minute requests for bookings (31%) and changes to itineraries submitted by their colleagues (23%).
• These individuals also frequently receive their coworker's misguided travel complaints when on the road for work, with lack of Wi-Fi while flying or in the hotel, delayed/cancelled flights, and airport security lines topping the list of business travel grievances.
• The most important features to administrative professionals when booking and managing business travel for others:
  • Good value for the money (75%)
  • Easy booking process (72%)
  • Good customer support (68%)
  • More favorable change/cancellation policies (66%)
  • Online, self-serve itinerary changes or cancellations (63%)

"Booking travel for others can be a complex and difficult thing, and on today of all days we should take a minute to thank those who take on this task," said Eleanor Bradley, Director of Small Business Travel at Expedia. "We appreciate the hard work administrative professionals put in every day to get their colleagues where they need to go, and are dedicated to making their work a little easier by streamlining the process and rewarding our business travelers as much as possible through exclusive business offers, Expedia Rewards, and partnerships targeted at small companies, like the ones we have with National Purchasing Partners and Ink^® from Chase."

As part of Expedia's push to make Administrative Professionals Day also Travel Arranger Day, and in order to recognize the important, but sometimes thankless task of booking travel for others, Expedia is giving more than 3,000 Expedia Rewards points to select travel arrangers who are enrolled in Expedia Rewards.

This Expedia study of administrative professionals was fielded in March 2014 and features responses from 3,415 individuals that identify as travel arrangers, defined as an employee that books travel for three or more of their colleagues.

About Expedia.com
Expedia.com is the world's largest full service travel site*, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of top vacation destinations, cheap tickets, hotel deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel apps. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com customers can get the best rates available online for all types of travel.

Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Rewards, Find Yours and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners © 2014 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50

*Based on a comparison of other full-service online travel agencies, defined as those providing booking and services related to air, hotel, cruise, car and activities to a global customer base. Data based on comScore Media Metrix for Expedia, Inc. Sites, Worldwide, Average Monthly Unique Visitors, Oct '12-Sept '13.

Web site: http://www.expedia.com/  

SOURCE Expedia.com