The FINANCIAL — Whilst there are many advantages and opportunities to business travel – the chance to visit new places, add on a holiday and experience different cultures – global findings released from Booking.com reveals that alongside these opportunities, business travellers are navigating a gamut of anxiety-inducing scenarios that leave them worried and anxious.
The research conducted by Booking.com, the global leader in connecting business travellers with the widest choice of places to stay, surveyed over 4,500 business travellers across eight countries. Findings highlight how although a third generally feel positive about travelling for business (38%) the biggest stressors for those travelling internationally on business stem from the logistics of their travel, with a staggering nine out of 10 (93%) feeling stressed at some point on their journey. A combination of pre-travel planning, booking accommodation, arranging transport, managing expenses and receipts, and navigating the destination, combined with a lack of sleep, has the potential to leave business travellers weary and strained. That’s all before the important meetings and actual work have even begun.
AIRPORT ANNOYANCES
Whilst many holiday-makers feel excited at the prospect of time at an airport and hitting the shops for some duty-free treats or a celebratory drink at the start of their vacation, it’s airports that hold the biggest bug bears for those who travel on international business. Among their least favourite things about international business travel, delays and cancellations topped the list, with half (47%) of business travellers complaining about this. As would be expected, jet lag (35%) and airport security queues (34%) are also disliked by business travellers. Whilst these are felt across the globe, German business travellers dislike security queues most (42%), whereas Chinese business travellers are more understanding of this necessity, with only one in five (20%) rating it as one of their least favourite things about international business travel.
TOUCH DOWN TROUBLES
Touching down in a foreign destination can also feel exciting and adventurous for those on vacation but for business travellers, it can be a different story. The research shows that worries don’t end at the airport, with one in four (26%) feeling anxious about language barriers when they reach their destination, and one in five feeling uneasy about being in unfamiliar surroundings (20%), and cultural norms and differences (17%). Japanese travellers are the most worried about language barriers, with almost half (45%) saying it makes them stressed. And whilst Chinese business travellers may be relaxed when it comes to airport queues, they are more concerned than other countries about cultural norms and differences in the country they’re visiting (37%).
TRAVELLING ALONE
Whilst business travel can be exciting and full of opportunities, it can at times feel lonely, with many of those surveyed saying they miss family, friends and general home life (34%). In fact, more than one-third of American business travellers say one of their least favourite things about international business travel is being away from their family, friends or partner (38%).
An unlucky one in 10 (12%) business travellers spend less than five hours by themselves in their accommodation each day of business travel. On average, business travellers spend 8.9 hours by themselves each day (including sleeping) when travelling internationally, and it’s perhaps because of this that, contrary to conventional wisdom, many business travellers are open to sharing an accommodation with a colleague while travelling for business. One in three (33%) say they would share accommodation with a colleague if they were also a friend. Chinese business travellers are most open to sharing a room with a colleague on a business trip, with only 8% saying it was totally unacceptable, while Japanese business travellers were most against it, with over half (57%) saying it’s totally unacceptable.
Ripsy Bandourian, Director of Product Development, Booking.com for Business comments:
“Whilst business travel has so many positives such as the opportunity to experience new cultures, broaden horizons and the chance to meet colleagues face-to-face, the logistics of business travel can get in the way. Airport queues and delays, the accommodation at your destination lacking home comforts and lack of personal time can add a layer of unnecessary stress. Booking.com for Business, with seamless accommodation booking access and must have information, such as business meeting facilities, free Wi-Fi and top-class breakfasts, can help alleviate some of the stresses and strains so the trip can be one to remember, for the right reasons.”
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