More Business Travel is The Secret to Professional Success

• Thai employees see business travel as opportunities to achieve their professional growth ambitions: 51% seek inspiration for their work, and 47% look to learn a new skill
• Almost two third (61%) say adding leisure time to a business trip makes them more successful in their business meetings

Business travel is valuable, if not essential, to achieving professional success today, not only because of its positive impact on businesses but also for the opportunities it offers employees to expand their horizons and reach their fullest potential. Seven in ten (70%) of Thai working professionals say experiencing new cultures and destinations adds value to their job, a sentiment echoed most by those in the Government sector (83%), Education (80%) and Manufacturing & Logistics (74%) fields according to the research from Booking.com for Business, the global leader in connecting business travellers with the widest choice of places to stay.

Employees use business travel as opportunities for professional growth

When asked what they most hope to achieve when travelling for business, over half (51%) of Thai working professionals cited that they want to gain inspiration to apply to their work. While nearly half of them (47%) seek to learn new skill. Nevertheless, some professionals do have different goals. According to the same research, almost half (49%) of Retail & Sales personnel wish to accelerate in their career path when on business travel (vs. 36% average). Beside, strengthening professional relationships is particularly important to Manufacturing & Logistics professionals (43% vs. 36% average).

Across professions, travel also has a broader impact on business success

Almost two third of working professionals (61%) say that being able to take a few off-the-clock hours during a business trip to enjoy the destination improves their performance in business meetings. With that said, sightseeing and exploring well-known attractions happened to be the top ‘Bleisure time’ option for Thai working professionals (63%) followed by trying local cuisine (53%) and going shopping (45%).

“Experiencing different cultures and destinations and gaining new perspectives through travel is becoming increasingly important to professional success, particularly in today’s hyper-connected and globalised business world. Regardless of professions, today’s business travellers are savvier about the value up for grabs, both for their companies and for themselves.” says Ripsy Bandourian, Senior Director of Product Development at Booking.com for Business.

Business-ready accommodation is key to boosting business trip potential

Choosing the right accommodation plays a critical role in maximising the potential of a business trip. Seven in ten of Thai professionals (70%) agree that travel and accommodation options that cater specifically to the business traveller are no longer optional, but essential.

Strong Wi-Fi signal tops the list of business accommodation must-have preferred by Thai working professionals (58%). The accommodation’s location is also to be considered for working professionals, with convenient access to meetings (43%) and placement in the city centre (25%) identified as top priorities for overnight stays.

By making it easy to search, find and select accommodation from the wide variety of business-ready stays available today, Booking.com for Business helps connect business travellers with their ideal place to stay – whether that reflects their professional preferences, business trip objectives or overall lifestyle.

“Looking at our data and millions of business traveller reviews, we make it easier to find those stays recommended by other business travellers, without compromising on choice. Corporate travellers can enjoy flexibility and freedom to personalise and maximise a business stay experience, all while still working within a company’s policy.” added Ripsy.