Independent hotel bookings are on the rise within the business travel sector, according to hotel solutions provider HRS.
The firm said there was a steady month-on-month increase in the number of independent hotels booked, with a total increase of 38% from 2013 to 2014. The period 2014 to 2015 saw an even larger year-on-year rise of 59%.
HRS said that the data suggests more travel managers are now seriously considering independent hotels within their corporate travel programme when booking overnight accommodation for employees.
Jon West, managing director at HRS in the UK and Ireland, said: “Outside of the US, 30% of the hotels available are chain and 70% are independent but this is not currently reflected by the majority of corporate travel programmes.
“Interestingly, our latest data for 2014 tells us that whilst 66% of newly sourced hotels in the UK were independent, a staggering 84% of those actually booked by business travellers in the same year were still chain hotels.
“So, while it is fantastic news that individual hotels are finally starting to get the recognition they deserve from hotel bookers in 2015, there is still a job to be done in order for them to be truly considered part of a mixed hotel programme combining both chain and independent properties.”