India is emerging as one of the worlds fastest growing business travel markets and corporate travel in India is propelled by end-to-end technology centric solutions, preferences and mindset. To understand the impact, a new SAP® Concur® survey conducted amongst 500 business travelers in India shows whats on the top of their mind when they plan a trip here and how travelers prioritize safety, comfort and convenience.
“Societal issues and employee experiences are increasingly impacting the way we travel. With these shifts come new expectations from traveling employees that shouldn’t go unnoticed,” said Christopher A. Juneau, Senior Vice President, Global Cloud Strategic Programs, SAP Concur. “While companies continue to try and maximize traveler satisfaction, the reality is that employees are hungry for more empathy, guidance and better technology as they run into both common frustrations and unique individual concerns, leaving room for improvement among organizations of all sizes.”
Female and LGBTQ+ travelers report high levels of harassment
87 per cent of female Indian business travelers have been harassed on a business trip, especially 62 per cent say they have suffered the indignity of being asked if they were traveling with their husband.
Things are also deeply difficult for LGBTQ+ Indian business travelers, that nearly 3 in 4 of them have hidden their sexuality on a business trip out of concern for their safety.
Safety concerns are overshadowed by business needs
Travelers do not prioritize safety despite their experiences with risk; while 28 percent said, they prioritize safety first, 29 percent say, they put business first. 88 percent have experienced safety concerns while on a business trip in the last 12 months.
Millennial business travelers are more sensitive to current events
In the last 12 months, 52 percent of millennial business travelers have reduced travel to a location because of political unrest or health hazards, compared to 43 per cent of Gen Xers and 50 per cent of Boomers.
Opportunities for employers to adopt travel technologies
Almost everyone which is around 77 percent of Indian business travelers, agree their employers are behind when it comes to adopting latest technologies to manage business travel
