Women combining business with pleasure on corporate trips
Friday, March 15, 2013
Business travel can be stressful for even the most experienced executive. Airport delays, long flights and staying in generic corporate suites at chain hotels can all take a toll on frequent business travelers. For these reasons, some people try to make the most of their business trips by using their free time to enjoy the sights of new destinations. This emerging trend, known as the "business break," is becoming increasingly popular, especially among businesswomen, reports Female First.
The best of both worlds
Visit Birmingham, the official tourism authority of the city in the English Midlands, conducted a survey to see how business travelers were using their time. More than 1,000 professionals who traveled as part of their jobs were polled for the report, and the results paint a striking picture of the business world in today's economy.
Key findings of the study revealed that female professionals enjoyed traveling for business more than their male counterparts. In addition, women are taking more trips than they were in the past, with more than one-third of respondents indicating they traveled more for business more than they did two years ago. Exploring a new destination was cited as a major attraction for more than half of the female professionals polled in the study, and the amenities provided by modern accommodations were also popular with many respondents.
Perhaps the most interesting conclusion the study revealed was how professionals are using their time on business trips.
"It is interesting to see many of them are embracing their business travels as an opportunity to experience a new place and enjoy some leisure time," said Ian Taylor, commercial director at Marketing Birmingham, the city's strategic marketing partnership, as quoted by the news source.
Changing paradigms
Businesswomen are a driving force behind much of the innovation in the hospitality sector. Although some executives choose to stay in cost-effective alternatives to chain hotels, such as serviced apartments and corporate housing, many female professionals feel hotels could do more to accommodate them. This trend is likely to continue well into the future, as according to The Australian, female executives will make up one of the fastest growing sectors of the business travel industry in the coming years.
The news source reports that the number of female business travelers visiting Australia from India is expected to increase by 900 percent by 2030, and experts predict a 200 percent rise in the number of Chinese businesswomen traveling to Australia during the same time period.