2014 Summer Travel Survey: No, not the smartphone!

Choice Hotels International, one of the world's largest hotel companies, has released its survey of the top summer travel trends. The 2014 Summer Travel Survey found that the item that travellers would hate to miss on their trips is the smartphone.

In this increasingly digital world, the survey results show that travellers – same results for business travellers and parents with children – would rather lose their luggage than their mobile phone when travelling.

Another finding is that travellers cannot do without high-speed internet. Free high-speed Internet was selected by 65.5 per cent of respondents as the "must-have" amenity when selecting a hotel. Following free high-speed internet, free continental breakfast and an in-room refrigerator polled highest for needed amenities at 54.5 and 49.6 per cent, respectively.

The survey also showed that 34.6 per cent of travellers say that loyalty and incentive programs influence where, how and when they travel, and over 53 per cent of respondents are enrolled in travel rewards programs.