A new report from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), called “The Current State of Business Travel: Business Traveler and Travel Manager Priorities,” polled U.S. and Canadian travel managers and business travelers on topics like traveler experience, sustainability and cost savings. Key findings from the study include the following:
The “Essential” Importance of Travel to Achieve Business Goals. Among North American business travelers, 87% say business travel is “essential” or “helpful” to achieving business objectives. Some North American business travelers say they travel “more” (39%) or “the same” (29%) as they did in 2019.
Alleviating Business Travel Stress. Business travelers often experience personal challenges, including being away from family and/or pets (60%) and general stress associated with travel (48%). Travel managers are considering different stress-relieving perks, like allowing late-start days to alleviate jet lag (74%) and letting employees book travel from airlines and/or hotels eligible for loyalty points (68%).
Sustainability is Top of Mind for Many Business Travelers. More than 60% of business travelers say limiting or reducing carbon emissions is a priority. A separate survey found 86% of organizations across the globe have plans to increase investments in sustainability initiatives, often by cutting emissions.
A Majority of Business Travelers Use App-Hail Services. Nearly 75% of North American business travelers say they sometimes use an app-hail provider while traveling, with 36% saying they use them frequently. Travel managers cite better data and reporting, improved risk management and duty of care, and cost savings as the top three benefits of having a corporate app-hail account.
Source: Hotel News Resource
