A new survey of 1,400 business travelers across the world reveals that, despite the global economic slump, the vast majority expect to maintain or increase their current business travel levels over the next year.
The new American Express International Business Traveler Survey also shows that most globe-trotting business travelers harbor no fears about travel safety, although many report a decline in service in air travel over the past few years.
Highlights of the survey show that despite continued economic slowdown, 91% of travelers expect to maintain or increase the pace of travel in 2003, and only 9% see a drop in travel; a year after the Sept. 11 attacks, 88% feel safe flying, yet many 29% say airline service has declined.
“True road warriors, those who travel across the globe, apparently are not slowing down,” said Mark Webb, senior vice president, American Express Global Business Partnership, the group that services the company’s largest corporate customers.
In the survey, frequent corporate travelers who had taken at least one international trip were polled in August on a variety of their business travel practices and habits. Respondents were from 14 countries in four global regions Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia/Australia. On average, the respondents took 8.5 trips within the past year.
Fifty-one percent of Latin American business travelers followed by 39% of North Americans, 33% of Asian/ Australian respondents and 29% of Europeans said their travel will increase.
On the flip side, 11% of Europeans foresee some level of decline in their business travel. In both Asia/Australia and Latin America, 8% see a drop, followed by 6% from North America.
The new survey also reveals that most business travelers around the world feel safe while traveling.
Eighty-eight percent said they feel very or fairly comfortable about their safety and security when flying. But 12% said they were not comfortable.
In North America, nearly all respondents (97%) said they felt safe to some degree. Europe followed closely, with 95% of those polled responding this way. Not surprisingly, many international travelers have high standards in what they expect from suppliers.
In the survey, 45% feel that airline in-flight service has remained the same from two years ago. But nearly one-third (29%) of the world’s travelers find that the in-flight experience has diminished over that time frame.
Meanwhile, 24% said service has improved, and 2% weren’t sure.
