Two-thirds (62%) of business travel programmes are now sustainable, up from 40% in pre-pandemic November 2019, new research shows.
The results come from a poll of 313 European travel managers by Business Travel Show Europe.
While 37% of buyers were managing a sustainable corporate travel programme pre-Covid, 25% of sustainable programmes have been introduced during the global pandemic.
A further 23% of buyers are planning to initiate a sustainable travel programme for their businesses.
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The study also found:
- 8% of the 313 respondents admitted they don’t have a sustainable travel programme, compared to 60% in 2019
- 1% said it’s too expensive an option, compared to 25% in 2019 who didn’t believe it was affordable at the time
When buyers were asked ‘how sustainable’ their programme is, the survey returned the following responses:
- 20% rely on their TMC to ensure their programme is sustainable
- 20% consider their programme’s impact on the environment and make choices to limit this
- 11% are conscious of the human rights impact of their programme and make choices to limit this
- 4% have introduced policies designed to improve their travellers’ mental health, including a safe space where they can discuss the impact of travel on their well-being
- 3% offer travellers information on their carbon footprint (this appears to represent a huge reduction on the 27% from November 2019)
- 3% offset aviation-related carbon emissions (this figure was 17% in November 2019)
A follow up question quizzed buyers on whether special considerations are built into their travel programmes for marginalised travellers.
It highlighted that more programmes across every single category apart from solo women travellers are accommodating the special needs of these travellers compared to November 2019.
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