6th Annual Global Business Travelers Report

The majority of business travelers (67%) consider hitting the road critical to their career, including 51% who also enjoy traveling for business. But undercutting that enjoyment is cutbacks to flexibility, which 91% have experienced over the last year, according to a survey of 3,750 business travelers in 24 global markets conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of SAP Concur. These include not being allowed to spend a night to avoid a long day trip, not being able to opt for costlier preferred travel options like direct flights, and not being allowed to add personal travel to a business trip—or even traveling for non-client purposes, like conferences or training or internal staff meetings.

These hits to traveler flexibility may lead to increased tension with their employers. Virtually all (92%) would decline a business trip for reasons like safety, social, or environmental concerns or the potential impact on their work-life balance. And this pushback could come up against company priorities, given that 42% of travelers believe their businesses are prioritizing cost cutting over travel flexibility.