Business Travel Is One Of The Company Perks Most Prized By Australian Business Executives

Sydney, 4 October 2024: A new survey by American Express has found travelling for business has become one of the most important lures in attracting talent, with business executives relishing the opportunity to pack their bags and venture beyond their offices.

In fact business travel (77%) ranked only slightly behind health and life insurance (78%) and a pension scheme (78%) as an important benefit when considering a new job outranking more traditional company perks such as a company car allowance (75%) and a share scheme (72%). Flexible work practices (83%) were the most highly regarded employee benefit.

The appeal of business travel, according to the survey of 257 regular Australian business executives, is attributed to the opportunity it provides to improve their career prospects.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of executives said travel has helped them progress professionally. An additional 42% believed it helped grow their business network and 41% said it increased important face-to-face time with colleagues, customers and prospects.

Becky Cook, Vice President, American Express Global Commercial Payments said, “Not only is business travel something that executives enjoy, but it’s increasingly becoming a critical part of business growth. Companies shouldn’t underestimate the power of meeting face-to-face and the relationships that can be fostered over a handshake instead of a phone call.”

Staying well while on the move

Whilst many executives were excited by the prospects of travel, the research also highlighted the importance of maintaining health and wellbeing while on the road.

Australian professionals admitted there were factors detrimental to their wellbeing when travelling. These included:

• Not getting enough sleep (42%);
• Fatigue as a result of being busy or extended working days (38%);
• Eating too much/differently (30%);
• Drinking more coffee than usual (30%. A result that was higher than any other market surveyed);
• Not exercising as much (26%); and,
• Stress (26%).

To overcome the demands of work travel and to boost their wellbeing, many respondents said they build relaxation time into their trips. This included:

• Sightseeing or participating in local experiences during their free time (35%)
• Using the hotel gym (30%)
• Using the hotel spa or a nearby relaxation facility to unwind (29%)

“If the opportunity allows and they have annual leave available, business executives should also consider extending their trip by a day or two and taking some personal time to sightsee and unwind,” said Becky Cook.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

About American Express Global Commercial Payments

Through its Global Commercial Payments group, American Express provides corporate cards and other expense management services to small businesses, mid-sized companies and large corporations worldwide. It is a leading issuer of commercial cards, serving more than 70% of the Fortune 500, as well as tens of thousands of mid-sized companies. American Express issues local-currency commercial cards in more than 40 countries, and international currency cards in an