Meeting Profs Travel Report: Who Travels for Business?

How you look may be affecting how often you travel for business

The SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey has published its fifth year of findings with an astonishing report that nearly two-thirds of global business travelers feel they haven’t had “equal opportunity to travel for business compared to their coworkers, and they attribute this primarily to their age, accent or gender.” Other disqualifiers included physical appearance, sexual identity and disability.

According to the global survey of 3,850 business travelers in 25 markets:

Nearly all global business travelers (94%) are willing to travel for business in the next 12 months, including 67% who are very willing. The SAP survey said that 92% say the future of their career is dependent on successful business travel in the next year because it’s important for maintaining client relationships (42%) and starting new ones (41%). More than a third (38%) say business travel is important for staying updated on the latest trends, technology and advancements.

But nearly two-thirds of global business travelers (62%) feel they haven’t had equal opportunity to travel for business compared to their coworkers. Even more U.S. business travelers (72%) feel they haven’t had equal opportunity. Global and U.S. business travelers attribute this to the following reasons:

• Their age (global: 21%, U.S.:27%)
• Their accent (17%, 23%)
• Their gender (17%, 26%)
• Their physical appearance (16%, 25%)
• Their ethnicity or race (15%, 22%)
• Being a parent or caretaker (13%, 18%)
• Their sexual orientation (8%, 17%)
• Their disability (7%, 14%)

Read More: Forever Remote: Event Central

The survey also reported that remote workers say business travel is critical for workplace relationships. But more remote workers feel they haven’t had equal opportunity to take business trips because of where they live or how often they come into the office.

The report found that more than three in 10 remote workers recognize that business travel is critical to forming meaningful connections with coworkers (38%) and building stronger relationships with managers (37%), compared to in-office workers (27% and 24%, respectively). However, half of remote workers (50%) say they’re traveling more than they’d like, compared to hybrid (37%) and in-office (29%) workers.

At the same time, more remote workers feel they haven’t had equal opportunity for business travel – 77%, compared to 61% of hybrid workers and 52% of in-office workers – because of where they live (20%, 13%, and 13%, respectively) and how often they come into the office (17%, 11%, and 8%, respectively). It is particularly challenging for remote workers who are parents or guardians: 16% say they haven’t had equal opportunity for business travel because of their status as a parent, compared to hybrid (12%) and in-office (11%) workers. Remote workers are also most likely to decline a business trip due to challenges finding childcare (19%, 14%, and 14%, respectively).

More remote workers say the uncertain economy is affecting their company’s business travel than in-office workers (91% vs. 80%), with noted changes including reducing overnight trips (36% vs. 27%), staying in lower quality accommodations (39% vs. 26%), requiring a minimal number of meetings per business trip (35% vs. 23%), and requiring more advance approvals (31% vs. 22%).

Finally, the survey saw that health and safety is the biggest threat to business travel: over inflation, budget cuts or travel freezes.

Safety (44%) and health (41%) are still the biggest reasons to decline a business trip, more so than feeling burnt out on travel (27%) and challenges finding childcare (15%).

Fifty-three percent of global business travelers have had to change their accommodations in the past 12 months because they felt unsafe, and more than a quarter (28%) have had to change more than once. It’s even higher in the U.S., where more than two-thirds of business travelers (70%) have had to change their accommodations because they felt unsafe, and nearly half (47%) have had to change more than once.

Taxi Fares Highest on East Coast

A recent study conducted by AirportParkingReservations.com has revealed the average cost of a taxi in the United States with the highest taxi fares for nine-mile journeys. The study highlights regional variations in transportation costs. According to the findings, Maine claims the top spot as the most expensive state for nine-mile taxi rides, with an average taxi cost of $35.92. Following closely behind is Rhode Island, with an average cost of $35.18.

AirportParkingReservations.com investigated the cost of a taxi for all 50 U.S. states. The study used Numbeo to determine the cost of a nine-mile (15 km) taxi ride by looking at the cost for 1km.

Read More: Newport, Rhode Island: Small Meets on the East Coast

A nine-mile taxi in Maine is, on average, the most expensive nationwide.

The research reveals the East Coast state of Maine is the most expensive state for a nine-mile taxi ride, with an average cost of $35.93 – and this can be even higher in some cities. Out of all states, five out of the top 10 most expensive states are located on the East Coast, with Rhode Island ($25.18), New York ($33.67), Maryland ($32.64), and Pennsylvania ($31.62). Looking at Southern states, New Mexico ($35.11) and Georgia ($31.42) are the only southern states to make the top 10. When taking the cheapest fare into consideration, Wyoming ($21.57), Kentucky ($21.45), and Iowa ($20.86) wrap up the ranking.

Which states cost the most for an average nine-mile taxi?

Delta Loves Jamaica

Jamaica has been dubbed “the number one Caribbean destination” for Delta vacations in terms of growth. The vacation provider met with Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett along with executives of Delta Airlines at their Atlanta headquarters on Monday, June 12.

Bartlett said in a release that the destination’s growth “will allow for further discussions for additional seats and routes” on Delta Airlines.