Aussie business travellers more mean than green

Australian business travellers might like the idea of going green in theory but not if it means having to pay more, according to new business travel survey from hotel giant Accor.

The Accor Asia Pacific Business Traveller Survey 2011 showed that out of 10,437 corporate travellers surveyed Australians were the second least inclined to pay more for a credentialed "green" hotel.

And that's despite the fact that Australians had the largest and least restricted travel budgets in Asia Pacific.

The research by consultancy Cimigo surveyed members of Accor's A Club loyalty program from eight destinations - Australia, China, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, New Zealand and Thailand.

It revealed only 38 per cent of Australians said they would be prepared to pay more to stay at a "conspicuously" gree hotel. This compares with 91 per cent if Chinese, 67 per cent of Indonesians, and 62 per cent of Indians.

Plus women were far more committed to the green cause than men with 42 per cent of women prepared to pay more compared to 32 per cent of men.

Other key findings include:

. Australians had and average of $US158 allowance to spend on their nightly accommodation, almost 20 per cent higher than business travellers from any of the other seven countries surveyed.

. Corporate travellers increasingly want 'quality' internet access above merely free internet access. increasingly corporate travellers are seeking high download speeds rather than just free access. They want to be able to work fast and efficiently.

. Australians are less likely to work in their hotel rooms during business trips - while 82 per cent of Chinese and Singaporean corporate travellers will work in their hotel during international business trips only 72 per cent of Australian said they did.