Global Courant
Amid growing economic uncertainty, a recent survey conducted by American Express Canada highlights prevailing attitudes towards a return to business travel.
Professionals born between the late 1990s and mid-2000s are more likely to lead the way in reviving business travel, according to the survey, as 64 percent of them stated that business travel will be a “top” or “high” priority for them in 2023 .
This is a significantly higher percentage compared to other generations, including millennials, with 39 percent feeling the same way.
The survey also found that 58 percent of Gen Z respondents said they plan to travel more for work in 2023 than in 2022. Since January 2022, they have traveled one to five times for business reasons.
The results of the survey show that 39 percent of Gen Z professionals most often traveled domestically for business purposes, while 30 percent said they traveled internationally for the same purpose.
For more than half (52 percent) of Gen Z respondents, “meeting customers” was the top reason for taking business trips. Other important reasons are knowledge building, team building and meeting potential partners.
Among millennials, 49 percent of them said they would like to travel for work this year, while that share is 42 percent for Gen X and 29 percent for baby boomers.
When respondents across age groups were asked about the importance of travel for business purposes, 75 percent of Gen Z professionals said it was “extremely” or “very” important.
According to the survey, travel costs are the top concern for Gen Z professionals (43 percent), followed by airport delays (36 percent) and environmental impact (29 percent). This may affect their business travel decisions.
The survey results show that the majority of Gen Z respondents (88 percent) were willing to incorporate personal vacations or leisure time into their business travel plans — 75 percent of millennials and 62 percent of Gen X professionals share the same intention .
Methodology
This Maru Public Opinion study, conducted on behalf of North Strategic, was conducted by Maru/Blue’s sampling and data collection experts among 404 randomly selected Canadian business travelers who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists. They were surveyed from May 12 to 17, 2023. By comparison, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sample variability) of ±5 percent, 19 times out of 20.
Coverage for this story was paid for through the Meta-funded The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project.
