A recent survey by Accenture indicates that frequent traveler loyalty programs have a profound effect on business travel decisions.

The survey of 1,600 U.S. business travelers indicated 80 percent of respondents considered frequent traveler programs when making their choices.

Interestingly, technology also has a powerful affect on travel habits. More than half of respondents said they book their trips online, and 44 percent indicated that access to the Internet at their chosen hotels was a necessity.

“The choices for business travel are blurring as price, brand and loyalty begin to intersect,” Julian Sparkes, a partner in Accenture’s transportation & travel services industry group, told the UK-based Wise Marketer. “Airlines and hotels must make sure their loyalty programmes are fully integrated in the way they do business on a daily basis.”

A similar survey conducted by Six Continents (now InterContinental) found similar results — 77 percent of respondents indicated that loyalty program benefits influence travel decisions.