Business travellers still see face to face meetings as essential

More than three quarters of UK business travellers still see face-to-face meetings as an essential part of achieving company objectives, according to a new survey.

Reducing levels of business travel would also give competitors a significant advantage, according to more than half of respondents to the YouGov study, conducted on behalf of American Express.

A third of respondents went as far as saying that a reduction in the level of travel would result in a 25% or more drop in revenue.

The survey also asked how business travellers feel about their trips, and 71% admitted that regular travel made their job more interesting.

Remarkably, more than half revealed that travelling for business has made them seriously consider whether they should work abroad on a full-time basis.

Respondents revealed that preparation is vital when looking to get the most out of a business trip, with more than three quarters saying that planning ahead makes them more productive.

Well over half of respondents spend a considerable time researching their destination ahead of their trip, looking at both the political and economic environment before travelling.

However, it seems the level of preparation does not extend to pre-flight arrangements, with more than a third saying that they failed to charge their gadgets before departure, and a quarter did not check their flights in advance.

When respondents were asked to choose which three travel services they most desire when on the road, airport lounge access was found to be the most popular, listed first by 39%.

Four or five-star accommodation (36%), business class travel (35%), access to a business credit card (26%) and staying on a hotel ‘club floor’ (16%) were the other services prioritised by business travellers.

If you’re thinking of travelling abroad this year, be sure to organise your business travel insurance in advance 

Date Created: 20/09/2017