New Trends Emerge in Business Travel

American workers’ desire to return to business travel is being reflected in a number of surveys, and the latest data from American Express’ Trendex Survey mirrors other recent data that suggests business travel could be ready for a boom.

American Express found that 75 percent of business travelers and 81 percent of frequent business travelers are interested in traveling for business now through the fall.

The top reasons travelers are taking business trips include the standard fare: conferences, work trainings and networking opportunities.

Conferences were the most likely reason for a business trip with 31 percent of those surveyed indicating that is why they would be traveling for work in the next six months. Work-related training was close behind with 27 percent.

Millennials are the most likely to be traveling for business at the moment. Nearly on in four millennial respondents said that they would travel over the next six months for networking opportunities.

Summer is a popular season for those traveling for business at the moment. Half of business travelers reported interest in summer months (50 percent). That interest was highest among Gen-Z business travelers (62 percent) and Millennial business travelers (57 percent).

There still seems to be some overall hesitation regarding traveling for work with older generations. Nearly half (44 percent) of Baby Boomer business travelers said that they were not interested in traveling this year at all.

Bleisure
Another popular pre-pandemic trend is also making a comeback: Bliesure travel is returning. According to the Trendex survey, more than half (53 percent) of business travelers say they are more likely to consider taking a “bleisure trip,” blending business and leisure travel.

Fifty-five percent of business travelers are more likely to extend their business trip into a leisure trip because of working remotely, and 66 percent of business travelers indicated 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 a post-pandemic world. As the lines between the home and office continue to be blurred by work-from-home trends so too are the lines being blurred for business travel.

Eighty-three percent of parents are interested in traveling for business through the fall, and 60 percent are more likely to consider taking a bleisure trip now than before the pandemic.

Nearly the same amount say they are more likely to bring family members on business trips because of remote work (59 percent).

It should come as no surprise that destination is key to attracting business travelers with families. The most motivating feature in a bleisure trip is beach and ocean resorts (48 percent) but only 35 percent of this group are looking for kid-friendly activities as a feature at their destination.

Sixty-nine percent of parent business travelers would also consider adding days to their business trip to explore the city they’re visiting.