Only 3 per cent of regular business travellers are totally
unwilling to travel in the current coronavirus-afflicted environment, according
to a survey from Copenhagen-based travel management consortium
TravelpoolEurope. A survey conducted this month of 233 respondents among 35 TPE
member companies found 67 per cent are definitely willing to travel, while the
remaining 30 per cent said doing so would depend on circumstances.
Average annual travel spend per TPE member company ranges
from €500,000 to €13 million.
One key determinant of willingness to travel is the
destination. About 80 per cent of survey respondents said they are prepared for
short-haul travel, while only 43 per cent would be happy to travel long-haul.
"We expect most travel in the first phase of resumption to be within the
European Union, which accounts for 87 per cent of our reservations," said
TPE managing director Søren Schødt.
Mode of transport is another factor, with 66 per cent of
respondents indicating a willingness to fly and 60 per cent willing to journey
by train. In terms of car travel, 64 per cent are prepared to use their own
vehicle, with 54 per cent ready to use a rental car and 52 per cent a taxi.
The survey also reveals major pent-up demand for corporate
travel and the vital role it plays in business continuity. About 42 per cent of
respondents indicated they believe they cannot accomplish their work unless
they travel within the next three months, with another 31 per cent setting that
window within four to six months at the latest.
"This tells us there is an urgent need for a very
significant number of people to travel again, and that a proportion of business
travel will resume quite fast," said Schødt. "A lot of them are
probably salespeople, but companies also need to go and see existing clients
if, for example, they are consultants or service technicians. It's difficult to
provide these services if you're not on the road.
"The focus is shifting towards letting employees travel
if it's necessary and, if the infrastructure is there, to serve them in terms
of air capacity and hotel availability," Schødt continued. "Some of
our member companies have lifted their blanket travel bans but are insisting
instead on pre-trip approval."
Covid-19 certifications and quarantines are providing some of
the biggest barriers to travel resumption. The survey found that 91 per cent of
respondent travellers are willing to be tested so that they can enter countries
that require a negative-test certificate. Another 4 per cent have already had a
test, while 5 per cent are unwilling to submit to one.
With 800,000 out of the country's total of 2.7 million jobs
linked to exports, Denmark has introduced measures to help its citizens resume
business travel. Anyone leaving on a foreign business trip can request a test for
coronavirus, with results available within 30 hours. On return from abroad,
business travellers can take another test so they may return to their office
without isolating for the standard quarantine period of 14 days.