New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS): Indian employees are global leaders when it comes to business travel with over 40 percent going on at least five trips annually, a survey revealed here Tuesday.

"Forty-four percent Indians, followed by 39 percent of people from Thailand are frequent business travellers, who are taking more than five trips a year," said the survey by online travel portal Expedia.com.

Future of Travel - an analysis of behaviour and preferences among employed adults aged 18 and above, was conducted online between Aug 20 and Sep 12, among over 8,500 respondents in 24 countries.

Indians at 34 percent are second highest global leisure travelers after Thailand, where 39 percent of the people indulge in this category of travel.

"The survey shows a clear progression of Indian travelers with respect to increasing number of trips annually, both business and leisure," said Vikram Malhi, general manager, south and southeast Asia, Expedia.

Indian business travelers are among the most likely to splurge during business trips compared to others, he added.

The survey also revealed that 92 percent of Indians use a smart phone or a tablet for personal or business reasons, higher than the global average of 75 percent.