Summary:
- Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) research shows more than two thirds (69%) of travel buyers believe female travellers generally face a greater risk when travelling;
- However, it highlights that corporate travel policies generally don't include specific elements to address those risks to female travellers;
- The research showed that 61% of travel buyers believe it is important to consider female safety when selecting lodging providers, but less than half of travel buyers (44%) said their companies recommended female-friendly lodging rooms;
- The GBTA and WWStay research shows around one in three (31%) travel managers agree they are more focused on providing a safe workplace for female employees.
But corporate travel policies generally don't include specific elements to address those risks. "While this research revealed travel buyers are concerned about female business traveler safety, only 18 percent of travel policies specifically address female safety," said Christle Johnson, GBTA president. "As an industry we need to do more to ensure the safety of our female road warriors, especially as women make up an ever-increasing amount of our business traveler population."
The research showed that 61% of travel buyers believe it is important to consider female safety when selecting lodging providers, and 63% concluded lodging is a concern when women travel for business and 54% stated the type of lodging is a concern.
However, despite those levels of concern, less than half of travel buyers - 44% - said their companies recommended female-friendly lodging rooms that include double locks, a third floor location or 24h security.
GBTA conducted the research in partnership with WWStay, and other findings show that 31% of travel managers agree that recent news events have made their companies more focused on providing a safe workplace for female employees while only 21% of travel managers agree that those same events have made their respective companies actually revisit their travel programmes.
WWStay Co-founder and COO Shobha Shanker stated: "We hope that this study raises awareness of risks to to female travellers, provides the attention these issues deserve, and results in changes and improvements by both the buyer and supplier communities."