Such is the desire to stay connected as much as possible these days, travellers will go so far as to only select products based on their ability to provide wifi.

Countless studies have shown that wifi has become as important a consideration for hotel guests in recent years as access to a pool or complimentary breakfast.

But to what extent is wifi affecting purchase decisions?

iPass surveyed over 1,700 travellers in North America during the summer of this year to understand how much wifi provision is affecting their buying behaviour.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they have chosen a hotel property based on its wifi capability, with one in five claiming they make purchase decisions this way for every hotel stay.

Interestingly, an airline’s ability to provide wifi on-board is also an important consideration.

Some 35% said they would now choose a carrier based on such functionality being made available to passengers.

Inevitably, 72% said they use free wifi at airports if it is available, yet 73% have never paid for if when a charge is levied, even when travelling for business, with the percentage increasing to 78% for those on personal trips.

But how important is it that travellers remain connected?

iPass found that 40% of respondents claimed wifi is their “number one daily essential”, with 37% designating it a bigger priority in their lives than, err, sex.

Unsurprisingly, given the roaming charges that many travellers face when overseas, almost two-thirds (63%) say they would rather connect to the internet using a wifi hotspot than using their mobile data plan.

The report says:

“Mobile professionals who travel regularly will spend a significant portion of each business trip at the airport.

“However, they are no longer content to just sit and wait for their flights. Instead, they want to remain productive or simply unwind during this valuable time.”

NB: Wifi signal image via Pixabay.