The desire of American workers to return to work travel is reflected in a number of surveys, and the latest data from the American Express’ Trendx Survey mirrors other recent data that indicates that business travel can be ripe for a boom.
American Express found that 75 percent of business travelers and 81 percent of frequent business travelers are interested in business travel now during the fall.
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The main reasons why travelers take standard fare business trips include: conferences, job training courses, and networking opportunities.
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Conferences were the most likely reason for a business trip with 31 percent of those surveyed citing it as the reason they would travel for work in the next six months. Work-related training was 27 percent ahead.
Millennials are more likely to travel for business today. Nearly four millennial respondents said they would be traveling over the next six months in search of networking opportunities.
Summer is a popular season for those who travel for work at the moment. Half of business travelers reported an interest in the summer months (50 percent). This interest was higher among Generation Z business travelers (62 percent) and Millennial business travelers (57 percent).
It seems that there is still some general reluctance to travel for work with the older generations. Nearly half (44 percent) of Baby Boomer business travelers said they are not interested in traveling this year at all.
Entertainment
Another popular trend before the pandemic is coming back: Pleasure travel is coming back. According to a Trendex survey, more than half (53 percent) of business travelers say they are more inclined to consider taking a “leisure trip” that combines business and leisure.
Fifty-five percent of business travelers are more likely to extend their business trip to a leisure trip due to working remotely, and 66 percent of business travelers indicated that they would consider adding days to their business trip to explore a city they are visiting.
family and friends
There may be a new trend emerging for business travelers in the post-pandemic world. As the lines between home and office are still blurred due to work-from-home trends, the lines are also blurred for business travel.
Eighty-three percent of parents are interested in traveling for work through the fall, and 60 percent are more likely to consider a leisure trip now than before the pandemic.
Roughly the same amount says they are more likely to bring family members on business trips due to remote work (59 percent).
It should come as no surprise that the destination is key to attracting business travelers with families. The most motivating feature of a leisure trip is beach and ocean resorts (48 percent) but only 35 percent of this group look for kid-friendly activities as a feature at their destination.
Sixty-nine percent of business travelers also consider adding days to their business trip to explore the city they are visiting.
