UK businesses plan to increase business travel

According to the research by American Express, UK businesses plan to invest more in business travel over the next 12 months, reflecting the importance of business travel to their continued success.

The research, 1, commissioned by business travellers and decision makers, found that almost four in ten businesses are looking to increase the amount of business travel they undertake, while over two-thirds plan to ramp up their spending in this area by 50% or more compared to current levels.

Business travel plays a major role in driving revenue, profitability and enabling growth, and six in 10 businesses plan to expand into new UK regions while over a third want to enter new international markets.

More than three-quarters of respondent companies reported that their business suffered due to the limited ability to travel during the past two years. Nearly three-quarters of the population state that travel is a key reason for business travel and a fifth say they are doing more trips to bring teams together. Business travellers agree that face-to- face meetings are essential to the success of their business objectives, as 70% believe face-to- face meetings are essential for achieving their business objectives.

As business travel continues to bounce back, businesses are thinking differently about their policies and priorities in this area: One in three employees can bring their partner or a family member on work trips for little or no extra cost, and 79% of businesses state they have increased their focus on employee wellbeing when travelling.

Hana Lear, Vice President, Corporate, UK Card Services at American Express, said businesses had no choice but to press pause on a lot of travel over the last two years and to lean on virtual alternatives to build relationships with customers and colleagues. Business travel and the value of in-person connections in driving growth go hand in hand, according to our research.

There is a renewed focus on the entire business travel experience to ensure both companies and employees maximize the value of their trips. Our focus is on meeting the needs of companies of all sizes, whether it is through our Business Cards that make travel expenses more rewarding or our suite of account management tools that provide key insights and reports. The research also found that while travellers enjoy business travel, they have elevated expectations of their employers: 71% say they would leave their job if their employer didn't prioritize their wellbeing during their trips.

62% of business travellers say they prefer to blend business travel with leisure time, and 43% of businesses say they are finding ways to make their trips easy, productive, and fuss-free for their teams. Almost three-quarters of travellers agree that perks such as flying business class and having access to lounges allow them to be more productive on their trips.

One third of 31% of businesses say they d like business travel to be greener but aren't sure how to achieve this. Seven in ten worry about the environmental impact of their trips and over three quarters 78% state they are more conscious of their carbon footprint when travelling than previously.