Safety top-of-mind among business travelers

March 26, 2008 | Online Travel

Expedia Corporate Travel survey finds business travelers are taking specific measures to ensure safety in a chaotic travel environment. Survey results indicate that an overwhelming 87 percent rank safety and security "somewhat" or "extremely important" when traveling on business.

Expedia Corporate Travel today announced the results of a survey of over 1,000 U.S.-based business travelers that was conducted to better understand their security concerns while on the road. Business travelers are often thought to be more travel-savvy then the average person, and in the wake of recent national security concerns, these travelers have learned to quickly adapt to the ever-evolving travel landscape.

Safety on the Road

Survey results indicate that an overwhelming 87 percent of business travelers rank safety and security “somewhat” or “extremely important” when traveling on business. In addition to safeguards like not carrying valuables and utilizing amenities including hotel safes while on business trips, the survey shows that business travelers are taking extra precautions prior to departure such as monitoring weather conditions, major world events and the U.S. State Department’s travel warnings list.

“It’s clear that safety is top-of-mind among business travelers, and as a travel management company, and as a travel management company, it’s important that we understand their concerns and the actions they are taking to stay safe on the road,” said Rob Greyber, senior vice president of North America for Expedia Corporate Travel. “Whether it’s researching major world events prior to departure or simply placing valuables in the hotel safe, business travelers are taking proactive measures to increase their feeling of security while traveling.”

Worldwide Concern

According to the survey, almost 65 percent of respondents believe that the Middle East poses the largest safety and security risk when traveling, while a surprising 14 percent of respondents feel that North America poses the largest safety risk. The Middle East and North America are followed by Africa, South America, Asia and Europe in order of regions viewed by respondents as having the highest risk.

Proactive Measures

In light of recent world events, companies are broadening the scope of their travel policies to include guidelines for safety and security while traveling. More than 93 percent of business travelers surveyed believe that it is important for their company to take proactive measures related to traveler safety; however, more than 54 percent were unaware of any such measures or policies at their respective companies.

“Expedia Corporate Travel is not only an extension of our client’s travel management department, but a partner in the quest to keep employees safe and secure while they’re on the road,” said Greyber. “We are committed to arming travelers and travel managers with the tools they need to make smart, informed decisions prior to and during each business trip.”

One of the steps that Expedia Corporate Travel has taken to provide travel managers with education, help and direction during a crisis is by creating a strong Emergency Preparedness program. The program is run by a diverse, highly skilled team who continuously monitors the travel landscape for potentially significant incidents. A key part of this program is a process called Travel Tracker which is used to locate a traveler that may be in an impacted area and has proven to be especially useful during critical weather and business events such as Hurricane Katrina.

Expedia Corporate Travel also offers an enhanced security program to help travel managers proactively monitor traveler safety through a partnership with TranSecur, a global security information provider which offers traveler tracking tools and access to intelligence services.

“It’s amazing how the security landscape has changed since my days in the Pentagon,” said Noel Koch, president and chief executive officer of TranSecur, former U.S. Department of Defense, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and Special Assistant to the President. “There are new threats on a regular basis and the amount of information is not only overwhelming, but constantly shifting. Having access to accurate and actionable data is key to making informed decisions about risks to corporate operations and personnel around the globe.”

As part of the service TranSecur provides, travel managers are able to access a graphical map of the world with the location of each traveler and detailed threat level. Additionally, an intelligence service provides a behind-the-headlines analysis of emerging issues that could be of concern to travelers.