NEW YORK, January 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
New research from Booking.com for
Business, the global leader in connecting business travelers with
the widest choice of places to stay, reveals how people's
professions shape their outlooks towards business and leisure
travel and the increasing intersection of the two. The study
surveyed over 17,000 working professionals from 24 countries across
more than 20 industries to identify common trends and variations by
profession.
Almost a third (30%) of all working professionals accepted their
job fully or in part because of the business travel opportunities
it offered, highlighting the lure of business travel for employees.
When looking into specific professions, this sentiment is echoed
most by Architects and Designers (45%) and Management Consultants
(38%).
In addition, over a third (38%) say they would actively pursue a
new job if it meant they could travel even more for business. This
figure rises to 46% among 18-34 year olds, and similarly,
Architects and Designers (48%) and Management Consultants (43%).
The statistics suggest that employers looking to attract and retain
the best talent should consider travel as an intrinsic part of the
job package they offer.
Combining business with leisure, but
'bleisure' looks different across
professions
A third of professionals (32%) feel their work and leisure time is
very intertwined, in particular those in Agriculture and Farming
(43%), Architecture and Design (43%), and Management Consultancy
(42%). It's no surprise then that, regardless of industry,
professionals try to make the most of a destination when traveling
for business. Two thirds (69%) extend a business trip by a few
hours or days to enjoy the city, while three quarters (73%) make
time for leisure activities within a trip. Overall, 45% of
professionals value this ability to blend business travel with
leisure over traditional workplace benefits.
So what drives professionals to combine a business trip with
leisure? The top two factors are based on the destination itself -
62% want to explore a city they haven't visited before, and 39%
want to spend more time in a favorite location. But the results
also unveil more subtle differences in how professions approach
leisure time during a business trip:
Reasons for combining Global Professional differences
business with leisure Professional
average
Take advantage of a weekend Technology (46%)
off in a business destination 39% Banking and Finance (44%)
Social and Welfare (42%)
Have time away from work to Hospitality and Leisure (43%)
recharge 38% Medical and Health (42%)
Local or National Government (41%)
Extend a work trip to make a Architects & Designers (30%)
long-haul flight more 21% Management Consultancy (26%)
manageable
Save money with some travel Education (39%)
expenses already covered 35% Social & Welfare (39%)
Local or National Government (38%)
For those who extend business trips for leisure time, the
majority do so by 24 hours (41%), followed by 2-3 days (29%) and a
few hours (24%). In terms of how people spend this off-the-clock
time, the results paint an interesting picture of today's modern
traveling professional. While more conventional activities, such as
exploring well-known attractions (57%), trying local cuisine or
dining at top restaurants (42%) and shopping (40%), emerged as the
top three activities overall, there are interesting variations
across professions:
- Experiencing local art and culture is among the top three
activities for those in Architecture and Design (45%), Management
Consultancy (43%) and Education (42%)
- Construction and Engineering (26%), Communications and Media
(26%), Charity and NGO (25%) and Legal (25%) professionals are more
likely than others to spend time with colleagues or clients outside
of work
- Social and Welfare (22%), Armed Forces (22%) and Agriculture
and Farming (21%) professionals are more likely to sleep or rest
during their leisure time
Professional preferences are reflected in
leisure travel choices
When looking across all professions, 70% of employees say making
time for leisure travel gives them greater job satisfaction. What's
more, for the majority (75%), leisure travel helps them to better
manage work stress and pressure.
In looking at preferred holiday types, unique trends emerged
across professionals:
Top 5 preferred holidays, across all professions
Ultimate relaxation (48%)
Family time (47%)
Food and wine (32%)
Activity or adventure (30%)
Romantic getaway (30%)
Unique holidays, and the profession most likely to book them
Road trips Armed Forces (20%)
Festivals or events: Media and Communications (30%)
Outdoor (camping/wildlife): Agriculture & Farming (26%)
Food and Wine: Management Consultancy (24%)
Wellness (yoga or spa retreat): Social or Welfare (22%)
In terms of the most preferred accommodation for a holiday stay,
a place with "local charm" is among the top three choices for all
professionals (23%), in addition to mid-market options (31%) and
places with all-inclusive deals (23%). Variations within select
professions were revealed here as well:
Holiday accommodation Professions most likely to
preferences stay there
High-end or Luxury Management Consultancy, and
Banking and Finance - 20% each
Home Away from Home Architecture and Design - 23%
Agriculture and Farming - 19%
Boutique or Novelty Architecture and Design - 20%
Banking and Finance - 15%
Self-catering / Fully serviced Charity & NGO - 22%
Art & Culture - 21%
Unique Accommodation (such as a Architecture and Design - 17%
tent, boat or even treehouse) Armed Forces - 10%
When considering what drives holiday accommodation choice,
location is key across all professions, with 43% wanting to be
close to local attractions, followed by comfort (34%) and fast and
complimentary Wi-Fi (31%). Having a strong start to the day is also
essential, with the top prioritized accommodation amenities across
professions being a comfortable bed (62%) and a hearty breakfast
(42%).
Ripsy Bandourian, Senior Director of Product Development, at
Booking.com for Business comments: "Having opportunities to travel
for business is increasingly prized by working professionals, led
by the millennial generation. And more than ever, business
travelers want to maximize their time spent in a business
destination for both work and leisure. At Booking.com for Business,
we recognize that business travelers' motivations and preferences
for travel and accommodation vary greatly. That's why we offer
greater choice on where to stay with the widest range of unique
accommodation options, coupled with the flexibility and technology
to make and change bookings seamlessly and on-the-go."
NOTES TO EDITORS
Research commissioned by Booking.com for Business and
independently conducted among a sample of working professionals
(full or part-time employed adults who have traveled
internationally in the last 12 months, provided by Vitreous World.
In total, 17,038 respondents were surveyed (1,000+ from the UK, US,
Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Spain,
France, India and Russia and 500+ each from Australia, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Hong
Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Sweden,
Thailand and Taiwan). Respondents completed an online
survey from 3rd to 18th August, 2017.
About Booking.com
Established in 1996 in Amsterdam, Booking.com B.V. has grown from a
small Dutch start-up to one of the largest travel e-commerce
companies in the world. Part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN),
Booking.com now employs more than 15,000 employees in 199 offices
in 70 countries worldwide.
With a mission to empower people to experience the world,
Booking.com invests in digital technology that helps take the
friction out of travel. At Booking.com, we connect travelers with
the world's largest selection of incredible places to stay,
including everything from apartments, vacation homes, and
family-run B&Bs to 5-star luxury resorts, tree houses and even
igloos. The Booking.com website and mobile apps are available in
over 40 languages, offer over 1.4 million properties, and cover
more than 120,000 destinations in 227 countries and territories
worldwide.
Each day, more than 1.5 million room nights are reserved on our
platform. So, whether traveling for business or leisure, customers
can instantly book their ideal accommodation quickly and easily
with Booking.com, without booking fees and backed up by our promise
to price match. Via our customer experience team, customers can
reach Booking.com 24/7 for assistance and support in 43 languages,
any time of the day or night.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, like us
on Facebook, and for the latest news, data and insights,
please visit our global media room.
About Booking.com for Business
Booking.com for business (http://www.booking.com/business) is a
tailored offering specifically focused on business bookers and
travelers to allow seamless booking and managing of business travel
in the simplest, smartest and most rewarding way. More than
one in five bookings made on Booking.com are made for business.
Enhanced features for business travel on Booking.com highlight
those places which are frequently used for business, tapping into
its extensive review data to make easy work of finding those that
are business traveler tested and approved. Booking.com for Business
also provides a free tool for travel managers and assistants that
allows booking on behalf of others. Booking.com for Business is a
platform with enhanced functionality and reporting designed to meet
the specific needs of corporate travel, while delivering the same
ease as Booking.com enabling every business traveler to book with
confidence, wherever their business takes them.
CONTACT DETAILS
For further information, contact the Booking.com US Press Office
at booking@hs-pr.com .
SOURCE Booking.com