SAP Concur, a provider of expense, travel and invoice management solutions, conducted a study to provide insights on trends that are shaping the new normal for business travel.
The SAP Concur Business Traveller Survey 2020 suggested that travel will continue to play an irreplaceable role in meeting critical business needs. However, business travellers are more concerned than ever about their health and safety while travelling.
The survey revealed that 38 per cent of Indian business travellers were very stressed during the trip, rather than before (30 per cent) or after the trip (32 per cent).
With the pandemic dominating news headlines, more than one in three said that their health and safety were their top priority while travelling for business. This was more than three times the number of respondents who regard business needs (12 per cent) as their top priority.
The concern for personal health and safety is even more pronounced in China (57 per cent), Malaysia (55 per cent), and Taiwan (53 per cent).
The survey also noted that 88 per cent of Indian business travellers feel concerned about resuming travel. They were especially worried about contracting the virus (57 per cent) or infecting their family (46 per cent).
Hotel stay concerns
Participants also raised concerns over staying in a hotel (59 per cent), being on a plane (48 per cent), and using public transportation (32 per cent).
When business travel resumes, all (100 per cent) Indian business travellers will consider putting in place some protocols to ensure safe return. These include mandatory personal health screenings for travelling employees (48 per cent), real-time updates and alerts on potential travel risks (40 per cent), and easier access to personal protective equipment (37 per cent).
Mankiran Chowhan, Managing Director – Indian Subcontinent, SAP Concur, said in an official release: “Emerging expectations around health and safety due to the current pandemic requires the travel industry to adapt, innovate, and transform to usher in a ‘new normal’.”
Chowhan added: “Companies need to define and maintain a balance between essential travel, government regulation guidelines, as well as the travel appetite of their employees. Companies should also pay attention to what the employees need and invest in measures that include effective training and new-age intelligent tools.”