Travel & Hospitality
Report: Business, but Not As Usual
February 2023
Report summary
Business travel will never return to normal. Workers and their employers are embracing a new approach to business trips. The travel industry should, too.
Key Takeaways
- Business travel changes are permanent: Travel brands that are hoping for a business travel “return to normal” will not see one. Budgets have been cut for reasons that hint at permanence, and far fewer workers are hitting the road — and they’re happy about it.
- Who’s traveling and why will be different in 2023: Three years since the start of the pandemic, older business travelers have retired, and a younger generation has entered the space. These new travelers will be cost-conscious, thoughtful about the types of occasions that warrant travel, and in charge of their own planning and booking.
- Blended travel will help the industry recover: Flexible and remote work arrangements are allowing more employees to combine work with play. Blended business and leisure trips are making up for some of the lost business travel volume, as well as changing scheduling and payment norms in the sector.
Methodology
The research fueling this project was drawn primarily from a survey fielded Dec. 22-24, 2022, among a representative sample of 4,422 U.S. adults, with an unweighted margin of error of +/-1 percentage point. It also includes data from various surveys fielded throughout 2022 among representative samples of around 2,200 U.S. adults each, with unweighted margins of error of +/-2 percentage points.
About the author
Lindsey Roeschke
Analyst
Lindsey Roeschke is a travel & hospitality analyst. Lindsey’s work focuses on behavior and expectations in travel (among other categories), particularly through a generational and cultural lens. In addition to her research and advisory background, Lindsey has more than a decade of experience in the advertising world.
