Most North American business travellers not happy to be travelling again

A new survey from Opinium, commissioned by World Travel Protection, has revealed the top safety concerns of US and Canadian business travellers post-pandemic.

Respondents were asked how they expect their employers to mitigate their concerns and ensure safe travel.

Just one third of business travellers in North America said they were happy to travel for work again (Canada – 36 per cent; US – 33 per cent). Even fewer believed that travel is ‘essential’ to their work today (Canada – 23 per cent; US – 31 per cent).

The biggest causes for concern were:

• Delays and disruptions (Canada – 78 per cent; US – 82 per cent)
• Catching Covid-19 and needing to isolate (Canada – 70 per cent; US – 70 per cent)
• Losing a phone or laptop (Canada – 69 per cent; US 69 per cent)
• Being hacked using an unsecured WiFi network (Canada – 63 per cent; US 76 per cent)
• Being the victim of a crime (Canada – 66 per cent; US – 76 per cent)
• Experiencing geopolitical threats (Canada – 63 per cent; US – 69 per cent).

Mental health concerns

Additionally, 30 per cent of US and a quarter of Canadian business travellers said they are more concerned about their health and wellbeing while travelling now, compared to before the pandemic.

When travelling for work, many reported feeling stressed (Canada – 30 per cent; US – 41 per cent), exhausted (Canada – 30 per cent, US – 38 per cent), homesick (Canada 28 per cent; US – 32 per cent) and anxious (Canada – 27 per cent; US – 31 per cent).

Homesickness and deteriorating mental health are becoming more pronounced among travellers since the pandemic, says Dr Joel Lockwood, Chief Medical Officer, Canada, World Travel Protection. “The stress of travel and being away from traditional support networks is challenging for many people, and this is compounded by a burnout created by the Covid-19 pandemic. The severity of episodes and shortness of onset are certainly key areas to watch,” he said.

Safety concerns

Sixty-seven per cent of US and Canadian business travellers agree that travelling for work as a woman is less safe than travelling as a man.

Around a quarter of respondents said they prefer not to travel to countries where women’s rights aren’t protected (Canada – 27 per cent; US – 25 percent). More women than men felt this way in both countries (Canada – 44 per cent women vs 12 per cent men; US – 31 per cent women vs 20 per cent men).

A majority of business travellers said they would like their employer to check in more often when they are traveling (Canada – 50 per cent; US – 61 per cent). Additionally, three quarters said they would decline a business trip if they didn’t feel confident that their employer was prioritising their safety (Canada – 74 per cent; US – 78 per cent).

However, only 54 per cent of Canadian business travellers and 60 per cent of US travellers felt their organisation would be able to help if they had an emergency or required medical help (Canada – 50 per cent; US – 57 per cent) while travelling abroad.

Another survey from Opinium also revealed that although business travellers are provided with travel assistance apps, only 20 per cent actually use them.