Majority expect more business trips
More than three quarters of global corporate travellers expect to be increasing their business trips in the next year, according to a new poll.
A survey of more than 1,000 business travellers from 10 countries, including the UK, by American Express found that 86% think they will increase or maintain the number of journeys over the next year.
Security remains a key concern, with 74% saying it is important their company knows where they are at all times in case of emergency. Almost half said they felt online visa and passport support was very valuable.
Travellers see personal travel insurance as being important with 65% identifying baggage loss insurance as the most valuable type, followed by trip delay (61%) and trip cancellation/interruption insurances (61%), emergency medical evacuation/repatriation (57%), baggage delay (55%), air flight coverage for accidental death/injuries (52%) and emergency medical and dental expenses (48%).
“Business travellers worldwide clearly believe that their frequent travel will continue,” said Marcella Shinder, global marketing head of Amex Business Travel. “However, this anticipated increase in travel appears to bring with it an upswing in the value for safety and security assurances.
“Solutions that help alleviate these travel concerns, such as, company traveller tracking, international travel specialist counsellors, business travel insurance programmes and expanded support for international travel necessities such as visa and passport requirements, can play an important role in helping to maintain the smooth flow of business travel worldwide.”
She added that “traveller safety and security is one of our biggest concerns,” adding: “By enabling companies to locate their travellers anywhere in the world at any time, offerings such as the American Express Global Security Suite can go a long way toward easing traveller worries while helping employers respond to the unexpected.”
Report by Phil Davies
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