Business travel has continued to be an essential component of many professions.

Meeting potential
customers in person has often been an efficient and successful way to personalize transactions with
current customers and develop relationships with new individuals. Business travel is a subset of
tourism in which people travel for business purposes. Transportation, lodging, business work,
entertainment, and other activities are all included. The global

hospitality and tourism sector is one of the largest, contributing more than $9000 billion to the
global economy. The global travel and tourism sector contributed approximately $9.2 trillion to the
global GDP in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). A strong economy, a
growing middle class, rapidly evolving innovative technologies, and the entry of millennials into the
workforce are all factors driving business travel in India.

Business travel is becoming a determinant of growth in the travel and tourism industry all over the
world. Business travel accounts for one-fourth of the total economic impact of the travel and
tourism industry. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic turned the tourism industry upside down in
2020, as travel bans and emergency measures put in place to face the health crisis disrupted normal
travel. As a result, the global business travel spending dropped by 61% in 2020 over the previous
year, reaching 504 billion U.S. dollars, whereas it amounted to 1.29 trillion U.S. dollars in 2019. In
fact, emerging and developing markets have experienced higher growth rates in business travel at
3.7% annually over the past few years before 2020. According to the Global Business Travel
Association, India's annual growth in business travel expenditure is 11.4 %, the highest among the
top 15 business travel markets worldwide. According to consulting group KPMG, India is now at a
$30 billion business travel market that is expected to triple by 2030. According to IBEF research, “The
tour and travel industry in India employed 41.6 million people in 2018 and is expected to increase by
2% per year to 52.3 million by 2028." Being away from friends and family and routine can be
stressful for some employees. However, not everyone considers travel to be a burden. 30% of
workers (and 43% of Indians) would accept lower pay in exchange for more business trips.
(Booking.com for Business) According to a survey by Trip Actions, 39% of Millennial and Gen Z
workers would refuse a job that did not allow them to travel and 90% of respondents believe that
business travel is critical to company growth and a whopping 92 percent of business travelers enjoy
their quality of life while on the road.

Overall, the European Union spent the most money on business tourism in 2020. The total
expenditure on business trips in the EU by domestic and international travelers in 2020 was
approximately 114.6 billion US dollars, down from 258 billion US dollars in 2019. The United States
and Japan came in second and third, with business travel spending of approximately 109.4 and 58.5
billion US dollars in 2020, respectively.

According to Hotel Management, a 140-year-old hospitality industry magazine, "61 percent of

business guests use free Wi-Fi or high-speed internet provided to the guests in order to make
business transactions and other corporate purposes."  Internet remains the most popular need of
business travelers, with statistics indicating that 55% spend an hour per day using the hotel's free in-
room internet. Furthermore, business travelers want to book guest rooms at the lowest available
rates, private in-room dining during the day, laundry services to ensure their business attire is well
ironed as it often gets wrinkled in their suitcases, or simply providing an iron board so that they look
sharp the next morning. A quiet corner room for uninterrupted sleep with quality bedding and for
working in an effective and efficient manner, adequate bright lighting near tables and beds, power
sockets, comfortable chairs, coffee machines, mineral water, hair dryers, full size mirrors, printers,
fitness facilities, and other amenities.
The international hospitality hotel chains in India have recognized the needs of the business
travelers and therefore have taken measures to meet their needs for example both Hilton and
Marriott allow visitors to make numerous ‘on demand’ request through their smartphones.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has collaborated with the design firm IDEO to develop unique
spaces with a variety of configurations throughout the common areas of Crowne Plaza properties.
According to Skift's report, "Most of them will have iPads to place an order for food and beverages
from the room itself." They are also making investments in technology to upgrade to speedier Wi-Fi
and add more charging points. In addition, IHG provides yoga mats, meditation blocks, fitness
equipment, a foam roller, and other amenities in guest rooms. Hilton Hotels and Resorts has
converted guestrooms into mini fitness centers with its Five feet to Fitness Room, which includes 11
equipment, a stationary bike, and a gym unit, making it easier for corporate travelers whose routine
is disrupted due to the busy schedule. "Hilton Honors loyalty app, can help the visitor book a room,
check-in, select their room from a digital floor plan set against google maps, request additional items
to be in their room when they visit, and also use a digital key which converts their mobile phones
into the room key," says Jonathan Wilson, vice president of product innovation and brand services at
Hilton. Guests may also use the app to request Uber rides and use the local scene function to get
recommendations on where to go in the city they are visiting. Hilton's app has been a huge success,
with incredible figures such as 30 million digital check-ins, three million room key downloads, and
over 13.6 million doors opened.