AMSTERDAM - Finding a more perfect work/life balance has emerged as the leading priority for modern business travellers, according to the latest study released by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. Nearly half (46 percent) of the 255 business travel managers interviewed for this research reported a significant increase in the number of traveller inquiries regarding an improved work/life balance. Titled , this study is the first in the industry to address this issue as a major game-changer.
“Modern business travellers are less frenetic and more deliberate. They travel for two reasons: to meet their corporate objectives and to support their life’s objectives. For a growing number of them, the first is meaningless if it doesn’t contribute to the second,” said ACTE’s Executive Director Greeley Koch.
Today’s business travellers are more conscious of what they eat, how they exercise, and the amount and quality of the sleep they get. They know that all of these factors are the basis of wellness, and they are less willing to abandon their wellness agendas when traveling. They also know that wellness of body and spirit provide advantages when negotiating sales contracts for their companies. Modern business travellers are also more aware, and demanding, of the recovery time between trips.
- Twenty-three percent of respondent travel managers indicated travellers are seeking time off as compensation for time spent on the road.
The report also identifies new trends in traveller supported apps, a growing interest in the shared economy, and support for shared services. The modern business traveller is more independent than his or her predecessors and willing to share more through social media.
- Seventy-nine percent reported an increase in the use of app--based ground transportation options.
- Forty-eight percent cited an increase in the use of ride share options.
The report maintains that a growing number of modern business travel managers are challenging traditional key performance indicators, savings and compliance, with traveller centric KPIs that are more closely related to the return on the business travel investment and a better gauge of traveller performance. ACTE has been pioneering travel centricity as a means to meet work/life balance expectations and corporate objectives, without compromising savings.
Greeley Koch acknowledged the generous support of American Express Global Business Travel in the research and development of Meet The Modern Traveler.
