Travellers expect flexible business travel programmes

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Today’s business travellers are evolving, with the hyper-connected traveller expecting more flexibility in business travel.

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) released findings from a recent report that reveals the behaviour and priorities for the business traveller.

This explores how corporations can adapt managed travel programmes to fulfil the needs and expectations of contemporary business travellers.

Entitled Meet the modern business traveller, the report is based on a research poll of 250 corporate travel managers and buyers.  The findings make it clear that the modern business travellers care about quality of life, demand a better work-life balance and expect a personalised business travel experience.

 

Rising interest in quality of life issues

The report explores how the priorities of modern business travellers are evolving. Nearly half (48%) of travel managers surveyed have seen an increase in work-life balance concerns over the last three years, with a similarly high proportion (42%) seeing an increase in requests by business travellers to combine business and leisure (42%). Others have seen requests to bring a family member on a business trip (28%), or for time in lieu (23%).

While quality of life continues to be a concern for many business travellers, it is not the biggest priority: almost two thirds (65%) of travel managers reported an increase in inquiries about personal safety over the past three years.

Growing appetite for non-traditional travel

Of the 250 corporate travel managers and buyers surveyed, more than three quarters (79%) have seen an increase in the use of app-based ground transportation over the last three years, while almost half (48%) have seen an increase in ride-share services (48%), and 40% in sharing economy accommodation. Over the same period, 34% have seen decreases in the use of premium black cars, and a 24% drop in traditional car hire use.

Flying habits have been changing too: nearly half (49%) report growth in the usage of low-cost carriers (LCCs) alongside a 23% increase in network carriers, which suggests modern travellers are increasingly mixing their standard of air travel. 

The challenge for corporations

Many corporations are beginning to adapt travel programmes to match the profile of the modern business traveller. Over half those surveyed (54%) have tightened their policy on personal safety, while more than a third (36%) are about to, or are considering, policy changes. Travel managers remain split on sharing economy services: 25% provide sharing economy ground transport options [in policy], while 30% don’t. Just 9% offer sharing accommodation, with 59% saying they have no plans to introduce it.

Improved productivity was cited as the main objectives for improving the traveller experience by 39% of survey respondents, while one-quarter said it was key to being an attractive employer. Only 14% said revenue generation was their key objective. But there is evidence that corporations often have a mismatch between key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives. The majority of travel managers cited savings (90%) as their top KPI, followed by compliance (86%), traveller satisfaction (68%), traveller productivity (30%), traveller wellness (29%), work-life balance (24%), and traveller retention (20%).

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