09 Jan Business travel and tourism
Business travel and tourism
Since the advent of globalization, business travel has been booming in all the countries of the world.
The United States and Europe dominate the sector, with, in Europe, Great Britain, France and Spain taking the biggest share of the business.
Business travel, accommodations, transportation and dining
Business travelers represent a market that is, nevertheless, 40% of size of the market for leisure travel.
The main markets for business travel are :
- – Exhibitions, conventions, and conferences
- – Seminars and motivational workshops
- – Incentives
- – Commercial purposes
Increasingly competitive, the business travel sector is becoming more specialized. Indeed, new trends are emerging as business travel and business travelers take sustainable development into consideration. Business travelers are beginning to show concerns as to where the energy and water and methodologies for waste disposal that sustains their travel is coming from, as well as to insist on the food they consume whether at the hotel or in nearby restaurants comes from local producers.
The influencing factors when booking a business trip
What motivates a business traveler the most when he has a choice of destinations, is what is available in terms of leisure after the workday is done. In short, the proximity of museums, theaters, operas, shows and historical monuments will influence the choice of the hotel.
It goes without saying that the technological amenities, including wireless Internet access, a fully-equipped conference room, the hotel’s VIP package and the availability of tailor-made packages, accessibility to transport, banking services, social stability, etc., all play an important role.
Business travel to Quebec City
According to André Roy, Director of the Quebec City Tourism Board, “Business tourism such as conferences and meetings grew by 4.8% in 2014 in the Quebec region.” That’s represents the largest increase across Canada.
Business tourism is a full-fledged and lucrative economic sector. It represents a major asset for all national economies and generates local economic development.
On the one hand, globalization generates the growth of this new economic sector, yet, on the other, it was one of the sectors to suffer the most during the financial crisis. When companies tighten their purse strings, one of the first places that CFOs look to cut is business travel without a direct line to the bottom line (such as visiting a client). Business travel for non-commercial purpose such as conventions and exhibitions is usually one of the first items to get the axe.
