There’s no question that travel habits and attitudes have changed in the wake of the pandemic. The only constant, it seems, is change, and business travelers are along for the ride.
New survey results from HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment and Access Intelligence reveal significant shifts in the behavior of business event attendees of all kinds, from conventions and tradeshows drawing tens of thousands of attendees to corporate events and sales meetings of fewer than 100.
The survey, conducted in February and March 2023, gathered insight from more than 350 business travelers and explores their frequency of travel, motivations for travel and changes in travel behaviors.
Results indicate that business travelers expect to attend significantly more in-person events in 2023 than 2022, and the desire to network with peers and destination appeal are the two strongest factors influencing decisions to travel to business events. Respondents also revealed they are more likely to extend travel times for recreation, leisure or work; to travel with family and friends; and to book more short-term rental accommodations.
Online events continue to play an important role in business interactions but remote work and virtual events are suppressing the need to travel for certain types of business. Remote participation in events is not expected to increase in 2023. In fact, the survey rated the effectiveness of online events slightly negatively, as they don’t provide an adequate substitute for in-person events although remain an important part of business communication.
Take a closer look below at what business event travelers are expecting of events in 2023.
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