Terror & businessStudy probes impact of terror on business travelers, managers

Published 25 May 2016

A joint study of terror’s impact on business travelers and business travel managers revealed surprising results, especially with regard to traveler fears and anxiety. Among other findings, the study found that 31 percent of business travelers worry that a reluctance to travel could hurt their career, and that 6 percent would not feel comfortable expressing their concerns to upper management.

A joint study of terror’s impact on business travelers and business travel managers revealed surprising results, especially with regard to traveler fears and anxiety. The study was conducted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and Business Traveler Magazine — in association with American Express Global Business Travel. The study’s findings also indicated that corporate travel managers may be missing key traveler concerns.

“This study is the first to see the business traveler as less of a road warrior and more of an executive whose office just happens to be the world,” said ACTE Executive Director Greeley Koch. “These are people who balance their families and the challenges of life against meeting their corporate objectives. Their candid perspectives of the terror issue add a whole new dimension to this discussion.”

ACTE notes that some of the study’s more surprising results were:

  • That 31 percent of business travelers worry that a reluctance to travel could hurt their career, and that 6 percent would not feel comfortable expressing their concerns to upper management.
  • Sixty-seven percent of travelers state that there is a psychological effect on either them or their families when travelling to a region where they may not feel safe
  • Ten percent of business travelers remain “utterly fearless” regarding terrorism, and 25 percent have very little fear.
  • Sixty-five percent of business travelers have varied fears, including being stranded in a security lockdown, in-flight terror incidents, and the threat of medical health risks. 
  • A majority of business travelers fear mugging and traffic accidents while on the road more than the possibility of a terrorist attack.

“This study emphasizes the necessity for a broader discussion on the anxieties caused by business travel overall,” said Tom Otley, Editor of Business Traveler Magazine. “Whilst the resilience of the business traveler terrorism fears remain high, this does not indicate an absence of other cumulative effects. For example, how does a traveler to a recently troubled area explain away the fears of her or his children? And this is but one of a number of issues.”

“In the world we live in today, traveler care is a growing concern and top priority for companies of all shapes and sizes,” said Evan Konwiser, VP, Digital Traveler, American Express Global Business Travel. “We’ve heard this time and time again from our customers who want access to advanced products and services that ensure the safety and security of their employees, no matter what happens. Equipping our customers with great tools is the first step, followed by ensuring these functionalities are properly communicated to employees so there are no disconnects. At GBT, we continue to add new functionality to our traveler care platform Expert Care to arm our customers with customized and scalable solutions to meet the specific size, geographic footprint and travel behaviors of their companies.”

The study also focused on how business travel managers (identified as “corporate travel executives) interpreted traveler response to terrorist issues. Travel managers had a higher estimation regarding their policy’s effectiveness addressing risk than more skeptical business travelers. Specifically, travelers wanted more access to up-to-date risk management tools and specific safety briefings for various destinations. Likewise, corporate travel executives may be assuming that traveler silence indicates total acceptance of a travel program.

The study polled 605 business travelers and 270 corporate travel executives over a two-month period, prior to the attacks in Belgium.

— Read more in ACTE-Business Traveler study: the impact of terrorism on business travel (ACTE and BBT, May 2016)