Most pet owner take their pets on holiday more than once a year, according to a new survey released May 4 — although it means that they stay closer to home.

Pet travel specialist PetRelocation.com surveyed 6,000 pet owners around the world and discovered that 61 percent of pet owners take their pet further than 80 km at least once a year.

Thirty-eight percent of those are very regular travelers, taking their beloved companion with them once a month.

Despite this, 71 percent of respondents said that they have never traveled internationally with their pets, with 38 percent citing pet fees levied as the most frustrating thing about planning pet-oriented travel.

It seems that the pet loving market is loyal to pet-friendly hotels — 66 percent of pet owners said that they would stay at a pet-friendly hotel even if not travelling with their pets, compared to a third who didn’t.

Pet travel is now a major business for airlines and hotels, despite warnings from scientists that pets in aircraft and hotel rooms can make life miserable for allergy sufferers.

In April 2009, Pet Airways launched pet-only flights between five US cities, while US hotel chain Fairmont recently unveiled a “canine ambassador” program, allowing guests to walk a “hotel dog” if they missed theirs too much.

Source: AFPrelaxnews