Business travel is making a comeback as the corporate travel industry sees a promising recovery, with businesses returning to travel to build relationships with stakeholders and foster team building and collaboration. A new survey conducted by Corporate Traveller, Australia’s leading travel management company for SMEs, has revealed the personal benefits business travellers are gaining through their travel, with networking and meeting new people, time away from the office, and career advancement emerging as the top perks.

The survey, which was commissioned by Corporate Traveller and conducted by an independent panel of 255 SME owners and decision-makers who travel for work, found that 72% of respondents gained personal benefits from their corporate travel. The survey presented respondents with a list of 10 personal benefits they may gain from their business travel, with the opportunity to select more than one.

Networking opportunities and meeting new people topped the list of benefits Aussies are gaining from their corporate travel, with 37% of respondents choosing this perk. Time spent outside the office followed closely behind, chosen by 36% of respondents, then career advancement and connecting with colleagues (each chosen by 33% of respondents).

Other benefits that ranked highly for business travellers included trying new hotels (chosen by 32% of respondents); experiencing new destinations (28%); frequent flyer point accumulation (by 27%); and trying new dining experiences and taking time away from home (an equal 26%).

According to Tom Walley, Australian-based Global Managing Director at Corporate Traveller, some companies have shifted to permanent remote and hybrid working arrangements. However, it’s evident from the survey results that many executives are craving the personal connection and networking opportunities business travel can offer. Fortunately, face-to-face events and conferences have returned quickly, offering ample opportunities for individuals to forge connections.

The survey also revealed that frequent flyer points accumulated through business travel can offer a multitude of benefits that corporate travellers can use in their personal lives. Accumulated points can offset the cost of personal holidays, encourage upgrades on personal flights, and can be used as currency with a huge variety of popular retailers including Apple, Bing Lee, and eBay.

Qantas has committed 50% or more of their international flight seats to reward seats since October 2021. Recently, the airline extended its commitment for another six months until 31 December 2023. Tom Walley says that it’s a fantastic time for business travellers who are accumulating a multitude of points to take international holidays using their frequent flyer rewards.

The survey also showed that business travellers based in Victoria value the time away from the office that business travel provides, with nearly half (49%) indicating this. This compares with 35% of NSW business travellers, 32% of West Australians, 29% of South Australians and 24% of Queenslanders.

Older corporate travellers were more likely to value connecting with work colleagues on business trips, by a small margin, with 36% of those over-55s selecting this benefit. This was followed by 35% of 35-54-year-olds and 29% of under-35s.

In conclusion, the survey revealed that there are a plethora of benefits to be gained from business travel. It appears networking and communicating with new people and teams and taking advantage of the new scenery away from the monotony of the office are particularly salient benefits for many travellers. With this in mind, businesses could consider increasing their travel this year, with a particular focus on attending events and connecting and communicating with overseas teams. These changes could help keep staff motivated and engaged.

Written by: Jason Smith

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