About 40 percent of business travelers surveyed last month
by travel management consultancy GoldSpring Consulting indicated they
"need to be vaccinated" before they'll consider traveling for
business, according to results the firm shared with BTN. GoldSpring in March
surveyed "more than 5,000" travelers worldwide from 10 companies,
eight of which are multinationals, according to the firm.
About 20 percent of respondents said they don't need
vaccines or any particular action from suppliers to resume business travel, and
three-quarters of them said they would do so when appropriate government
restrictions are lifted. The remainder want to see certain actions from
suppliers to consider business travel, including requirements for Covid-19
screening (19 percent), proof of a negative test (12 percent) or vaccine
passports (11 percent).
Still, 63 percent of business traveler respondents said they
anticipate taking their next business trip within the next six months, the vast
majority of whom plan to do so after June, according to the survey. The
remaining 37 percent don't anticipate a trip before September. About 85 percent
said they were comfortable with at least some domestic travel, and 76 percent
said likewise for international travel.
"While the results are optimistic for business travel
to return significantly by the end of year, it will be necessary for companies
to check in routinely with travelers and gauge change in sentiment over time in
the coming months," GoldSpring partner Will Tate said in a statement.
When those travelers do hit the road again, a substantial
majority—92 percent—would feel comfortable staying overnight at a hotel.
The results are part of GoldSpring's recurring Business
Traveler Sentiment Survey benchmarking report, the results of which
participants can receive after taking the survey.