Health and safety top concern for Asia Pacific business travellers
Research commissioned by travel expense management company SAP Concur from May to June shows what is shaping business travel in the Asia Pacific region during the pandemic
While the data suggests that travel will continue to be irreplaceable in how businesses operate, travellers’ health and safety will be more important than ever. This includes a new focus on trip preparation and policies.
The study asked 1,750 business travellers in the Asia Pacific region about their feelings about travelling during the pandemic. Nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents said they experience most stress during the trip itself, not before (21 per cent) or after the trip (31 per cent). However, last year only 31 per cent of respondents said the trip itself would be the most stressful part of business travel.
More than two in five have said their health and safety is their top priority while travelling for business, which is more than twice the number of respondents who believe business needs should be the priority (17 per cent).
The concern for personal health and safety is even more pronounced in markets including China (57 per cent), Malaysia (55 per cent), and Taiwan (53 per cent), where more than half the respondents ranked health and safety as their top priority this year. Given such stress levels, it stands to reason that 91 per cent of Asia Pacific business travellers feel concerned about resuming travel.
When a trip does need to take place, companies should have a way to ensure that employees only use approved and safe airlines and hotels; that they can receive information on changing ground situations that impact their health and safety; and that the company can reach out to them and render assistance 24/7, according to SAP Concur.
Dr Carl Jones, Vice President and Head of Travel for Asia Pacific and Greater China at SAP Concur, commented: “In this new normal, emerging expectations around health and safety requires the travel industry to adapt, innovate and transform. We believe that only with such support can employees confidently resume travel, continue to deliver on work commitments and service customers as they did before Covid-19.”
Considering business travel might have to pick up again soon, travel insurers can play an important role in making business travellers feel safer and taken care of.