Business travel still appears in the collective imagination as a symbol of personal success, but frequent travelers are categorical: it’s not just a stooge. According to another study conducted in 2017, almost half of business travelers say they want to accelerate the growth of their businesses.
Here are some reasons to convince you to continue traveling for your business!
#1 A professional trip allows you to extend your professional horizons
More than 50% of business travelers believe that discovering new countries and new cultures tends to add value to their work. This conviction is even stronger in certain professions, in particular among professionals occupying artistic positions (architects, designers, etc.) or professionals in management consulting.
For business travelers, the priority is to understand a new culture and its importance to business activity. When we know that a poor understanding of the local culture is often one of the failure factors of companies developing abroad, we understand how crucial this can be.
#2 Business travel allows you to create links with your customers
Skype and social networks have not yet replaced face-to-face meetings and exchanges , and business travel still has a bright future ahead of it. And this despite the development of telework and remote meetings in the era of the pandemic.
Among those surveyed, two-thirds believe that meeting customers, suppliers or partners is essential to the success of their company’s activity . In certain sectors such as consulting, industry or even construction, this conviction is even stronger.
Only 16% of employees who travel say they could achieve their goals without traveling. This figure clearly proves the importance of the corporate travel business!
#3 Business travel makes employees more efficient in the company
A majority of travelers on business trips like to take advantage of a new environment to do leisure activities, in order to be more efficient during their meetings. The trend commonly referred to as ” bleisure ” has particularly increased with the pandemic.
A business trip can indeed be an opportunity to enjoy local attractions, taste exotic dishes or even meet great people!
In some professions, professional tourism often rhymes with relaxation – moderate, of course. Travelers say that they take advantage of their business trips to give themselves an exotic break, which allows them to gain productivity afterwards.
#4 Travel to find new sources of inspiration
Observing customs abroad, drawing inspiration from them: this is one of the objectives of the trips of many business travelers from various sectors. This is an opportunity to discover new habits or cultural specificities from which they can draw inspiration. In fact, 37% of business travelers also claim to be looking for new ideas during their business trips abroad.
In the same way, allowing your employees to attend conferences relating to your sector is an opportunity for them to understand and implement good practices and to learn more about the economic environment of the company.
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#5 Business trips to develop new skills
Traveling in a professional setting is an opportunity for business travelers to develop new skills. This concerns both the organization of a business trip abroad and missions carried out on site. Business trips are a unique way to develop skills and know-how exponentially.
Going to meet your suppliers, your customers or your partners is also an opportunity to discover other types of managerial organization. Companies surely know other work practices or methodologies that can be transposed to your company. Traveling in a professional setting is therefore an opportunity to take the best of the companies with which you are in contact.
#6 Business travel to develop your network
The central point of business trips is the human encounter. Although you are traveling in a professional setting, that is to say on behalf of your company, it is also an opportunity to develop your own network.
These encounters can happen by chance, whether on the train, on the plane or even in the restaurants and hotels you frequent.
However, your collaborators can also force fate. This means, for example, inviting them to attend conferences related to your professional activity or their cultural interests. Also, there are sites that list all of the meetups within the city where they will be. Here are some examples :
- Meetup
- Eventbrite
These exchanges and meetings can be an opportunity for your business travelers to immerse themselves in the local culture and discover new horizons.
#7 Business tourism allows you to strengthen ties with employees
Traveling with colleagues, or joining colleagues on the other side of the world is a unique moment to strengthen team spirit. Indeed, allowing its collaborators to meet “outside the framework”, in situations where the hierarchy is sometimes turned upside down and where practical and emotional intelligence take precedence can allow beautiful discoveries.
For many French people, the prospect of making business trips is even an important criterion for joining a company: 72% describe it as a decisive element for joining a company. Traveling on behalf of your company also reinforces the feeling of belonging. The culture of business travel is therefore a crucial element in recruiting and retaining your employees!
#8 Business travel like a breath of fresh air
The years 2020 and 2021 have been two bad years for business travel. As proof, Okarito was the only business travel agency to grow in 2020.
During the pandemic, employees found themselves confined most of the time and teleworking for many months. Frustrated at not being able to physically meet their partners, suppliers or even customers. It’s high time to regain your freedom of movement and therefore travel, to finally rediscover the pleasures of business travel!
#9 To earn miles and take advantage of them for your personal trips!
If you are traveling for business, don’t forget to fill in your loyalty program when booking your business trips. This will allow you to accumulate miles and other advantages (at no additional cost to your company) and therefore to benefit from advantages during your personal trips (upgrades, upgrades).
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