Get ready to take your meetings to the next level! Business travel is booming. Despite a plethora of technological possibilities, including teleconferences on smart phones, business travel is an important activity for companies.
A new generation of travellers has emerged. We call them BLEISURE (business and leisure) travellers. Millennials are part of this trend. They spend more on business trips and are looking for unique experiences. In fact, they spend more than other generations according to a survey by the Boston Consulting Group. This generation currently accounts for about one third of all passengers on business flights in the United States, and this proportion is expected to increase to 50% by 2020, while baby boomers will drop to 11%. There are seven main reasons to come together: celebrating, deciding, educating, creating, networking, producing and promoting.
The Profile of Business Travellers
This type of travel attracts more women than men. They are young. About 50% are under 45. 83% of business tourists take advantage of the chance to visit a destination. They travel less (on average 2–3 times per year) but fully enjoy their stay. This includes Saturdays (at the beginning or end of their stay). They are heavy users of social media and technology.
When it comes to business trips, they don’t skimp on amenities: they frequently make last-minute reservations, opt for refundable tickets, upgrade their seat for more legroom, change their itinerary, splurge on upscale meals or in-flight Wi-Fi. All this results in higher expenditures than those of other business travellers. They add a leisure and relaxation component to their trips.
Young business travellers are still in the phase of testing different brands to determine what they like most and which best suit their lifestyle and approach to travelling.
The time has come for travel representatives to listen to and meet their expectations because they are the travellers of today—and tomorrow.
Keep this in mind for your upcoming meetings.
Source : Carlson Wagon Lits groupe, Réseaux de veille, Lyft and Skift
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Contact France Normand, Project Manager – Business Tourism at 1 800 611-8532, extension 2233.
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Great article, thanks for sharing this.