GBTA reasearch reveals the concern of business travelers in USA

The growing number of flight delays, travel disruptions and natural calamities is causing major concern to the business travelers in the United States. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) surveyed more than 500 business travelers in the United States and identified the top setbacks, disruptions and concerns travelers encounter while on the road.

The GBTA study, Business Traveler Mishaps: The Real Risk of Business Travel, found that during the past 12 months, 75% of travelers encountered a mishap while traveling to their business destinations. The most frequently reported issues during travel included:
1. Travel delay due to weather (54%)
2. Delayed flight/train departure (48%)
3. Airplane incident (mechanical issue, late arrival, etc.) (40%)
4. Missed connecting flight (16%)

Frequent travelers are also concerned with safety while on the road. The main concerns during a business trip included:

1. Location of hotel (50%)
2. Airline safety record (36%)
3. Safety of ground transportation (35%)
4. Knowing who to call if issues arise (34%)

“Delays, cancellations and mechanical issues are an unfortunate, unpredictable aspect of business travel,” saidGBTA vice president of research Joseph Bates. “Travel managers face all of these challenges and leading companies are working to address these issues. This research looks to provide travel managers with data that can help them uncover new methods and polices to ease stress for their business travelers.”

 
Surprisingly, nearly half of the study’s respondents (46%) said their company does not provide travel insurance or assistance services and they have not purchased these benefits from an outside agency. The benefits from these insurance policies compensate frequent travelers for trip interruptions and other unexpected expenses, which can help alleviate the burden from the traveler and improve the overall business travel experience.

 
“It’s important for individuals to feel confident in their travels, whether for business or leisure,” shares Scott Ackerman, Senior Vice President, Sales, Travel Guard. Travel Guard, a worldwide leader in travel insurance solutions and assistance, including emergency assistance, was a co-sponsor of this study. “To learn that business travelers have concerns about their safety, in addition to worries about travel disruptions that could derail their plans, is understandable, but they need not feel helpless. There are resources that offer 24/7 access to travel emergency and assistance services, which can help business travelers move beyond the travel disruption and keep business moving forward.”