La Quinta is encouraging its guests to take a breather with its new Take a Paws Project. On November 20, the busiest day for business travel, select La Quinta hotels in New York City and Chicago will offer travelers access to special amenities alongside its signature services, including weighted blankets for anxiety-free sleep, endorphin-producing fitness and meditation classes, and a special pet therapy session in the lobby, where they can experience the naturally relaxing influence of furry friends.
“As someone who travels more than 200 days a year, I fully understand how last-minute travel right before the holidays can be extremely stressful,” said Krishna Paliwal, president of La Quinta by Wyndham. “A longtime champion of business travelers, La Quinta understands the unique challenges they face, and is committed to helping them succeed on the road every day of the year. This year, we’re raising the bar on relaxation for travelers with a calming take on the amenities they need to get the job done when they need them the most: on the busiest business travel day of the year.”
La Quinta is helping its guests achieve greater business travel tranquility through its Take a Paws Project with help from stress expert Dr. Kathleen Hall and pet expert Dr. Evan Antin, as well as Pet Partners, the largest therapy animal nonprofit in the United States, which will provide guests the unique chance to engage with therapy dogs through the Take a Paws Project on November 20 at the brand’s Midtown Manhattan and Downtown Chicago locations.
“Stress can manifest itself differently in each person,” said Dr. Hall, founder and CEO of Mindful Living Network and The Stress Institute, who knows that having to deal with the unexpected, like last-minute business travel, can exacerbate existing stress. “There is good news, though: you can become resilient to the negative effects of stress on your mind and body through exercise, sleep, and meaningful connections—and for career commuters, it helps to have a trusted travel partner like La Quinta, which offers the things you need to succeed and help reduce stress.”
Dr. Evan Antin, a veterinarian who also has five pets of his own, added, “As an entrepreneur, I’ve experienced firsthand what it takes to be a true road warrior. That’s why I’m excited to partner on the Take a Paws Project with La Quinta by Wyndham, a brand that understands the stress business travelers face—particularly during some of the most stressful times of the year—and provides just what we need to put our best foot (or paw) forward.”
La Quita Survey Shows How Stress Impacts Business Travel
On November 20—the busiest business travel day of the year—nearly 60 percent more people are hitting the road than usual. According to the latest “La Quinta Means Business” survey, 96 percent of business travelers have had to travel for work the week before Thanksgiving and 81 percent of them feel they’re likely to experience stress as a result.
La Quinta’s survey tapped into the mindset of today’s business traveler leading up to the busiest business travel day of the year to understand how stress affects them on the road and how travel affects their relationships with their pets.
Nearly all (96 percent) business travelers have had to travel for work the week before Thanksgiving, with 86 percent said they’re likely to do so this year. Almost all (92 percent) business travelers say they are impacted by stress while on a business trip; of those likely to travel the week before Thanksgiving this year, 81 percent feel they’ll likely experience stress as a result. A majority (58 percent) of career commuters would feel less stressed working late every night the week before Thanksgiving than going on a business trip that week, but 53 percent say they’d rather go on an unexpected trip the week before Thanksgiving than sit next to the most annoying guest at Thanksgiving dinner.
Stress related to business travel impacts business travelers in many ways, such as making it harder to relax (54 percent), feeling anxious or moody (49 percent), difficulty sleeping (45 percent), and developing headaches or migraines (35 percent). Virtually all (98 percent) business travelers do something to de-stress at their hotel when traveling for work, including watching TV (64 percent), taking a nap or meditating (52 percent), FaceTiming family and friends (49 percent), or working out at the hotel gym (47 percent).
When asked how they’d most like to change their habits when traveling for business, 59 percent of career commuters cited health and wellness changes (eating healthier, getting more sleep, exercising more); only 10 percent said they wanted to network more during downtime.
The “La Quinta Means Business” survey was conducted by Wakefield Research between September 16 and September 23, 2019, using an email invitation and an online survey among 1,000 U.S. business travelers ages 35–54, defined as those traveling for business 10-plus times per year.
