A report from SAP Concur highlights widening gaps between what organisations expect from travel programmes and how employees actually experience work travel.
These gaps are increasingly affecting traveller wellbeing, duty of care and confidence in leadership, says the eighth annual SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey.
The report concludes that organisations that can close those gaps “through clearer communication, better governance, stronger traveller support, and tools employees want to use” will be better positioned to build travel programmes that employees trust and that leadership teams can confidently support.
The April survey of 3,300 business travellers, 800 travel managers and 700 CFOs across multiple global markets, found that while business travellers overwhelmingly say work trips improve wellbeing and strengthen human connection, many also say that travel now feels more stressful and unpredictable due to safety concerns, disruptions and growing pressures in their roles.
“Organisations continue to find substantial value in business travel, but what employees expect from the experience is changing,” said Charlie Sultan, President of Concur Travel at SAP Concur.
“Business travellers appreciate the connection and collaboration that come from meeting in person. They also expect travel to feel smoother, safer, and easier to navigate. This is creating new challenges and opportunities for companies as they consider the future of their corporate travel programmes.”
Here are some of the key findings from the research.
Business travel comes with benefits
Employees continue to say business travel delivers personal and professional value, with 93% saying work travel benefits their mental or physical wellbeing.
Among the top benefits cited:
- 45% say business travel gives them a break from their office or home work environment.
- 44% say a change of scenery helps them mentally recharge.
- 36% say it gives them an opportunity for face time with people they don’t typically get to
- see.
- 30% say it gives them a brief break from family or personal obligations.
- 30% say it allows them to take advantage of hotel wellness amenities.
- 19% say it provides fitness-related opportunities that they don’t usually have.
Some benefits stand out more among business travelers who are parents compared to non-parents. For example, 33% of parents said that business travel provides a break from family or personal obligations, compared to 26% of non-parents.
Parents also were more likely to cite access to hotel wellness amenities (33% vs. 25%) and fitness opportunities they do not usually have (22% vs. 14%) as benefits of business travel.
Finance leaders continue to recognise business travel’s strategic value
Nearly all CFOs surveyed (97%) say business travel is important to their organisation’s overall growth strategy, and 82% expect their company’s travel budget to increase this year.
But growing investment also brings greater scrutiny, with (89% agreeing that their travel managers need to better justify how business travel helps their organisation meet business goals.
But travel managers say they are being asked to prove ROI without enough organisational support, with 84% agreeing that it’s impossible for them to fully meet their organisation’s business goals without more support from finance leadership, including better data and insights to demonstrate ROI (44%), training on the most effective ways to use AI (43%), greater buy-in on policy changes or new initiatives (42%), and updated technology solutions (40%).
Modern business travel is becoming more stressful and unpredictable
Many travellers are increasingly uneasy about the realities of modern travel, with 67% saying they are hesitant to travel for business this year, and their concerns reflect broader instability across the global travel environment:
- 31% cite safety concerns around traveling to areas affected by geopolitical conflicts or
- tension.
- 28% cite the likelihood of travel disruptions, such as flight delays or cancellations.
- 16% cite concerns over visas, immigration status, and digital IDs.
Overtourism is a concern
Nearly one in four (24%) of business travellers say overcrowding or overtourism has negatively impacted a business trip. In response, 87% say they try to avoid staying in the most tourist-heavy areas during work trips.
Among the top frustrations:
- 43% point to higher costs in crowded destinations.
- 38% say it’s tougher to get around in over-touristed areas.
- 33% report difficulty in finding preferred travel options due to overbooking or limited supply.
- 27% cite discomfort being surrounded by so many people.
- 26% note greater safety risks or concerns about hostility toward tourists.
The findings suggest employees increasingly value business travel, but there are many elements they find frustrating.
Cyber attacks are seen as the biggest threat
According to travel managers, the greatest threat to their company’s business travel this year isn’t geopolitical conflicts (43%), last-minute delays (39%), or travel disruptions associated with severe weather (39%) – it’s the risk of sensitive information being hacked when traveling abroad (44%).
Traveller tracking comes with reservations
Travelling employees are open to sharing personal data if it improves safety and support during travel, with 79% of business travellers saying they are at least somewhat comfortable with employers tracking their location while traveling for work to better protect their safety.
But trust remains a critical factor, as nearly one-third (29%) of business travellers globally say real-time monitoring of location and expenses on work trips would cause them to lose trust in the decisions of their organisation’s leaders.
The findings highlight a growing balancing act for organisations: employees increasingly want reassurance and support from employers during travel, while also expecting transparency around how traveller data is used.
For more on the report, see this Expert Insight from Concur Travel President Charlie Sultan
