Business Travel Outlook for 2018

Image: PHOTO: The number of business and leisure travelers is increasing. (photo via Pixabay)
Image: PHOTO: The number of business and leisure travelers is increasing. (photo via Pixabay)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:52 AM ET, Fri December 29, 2017

More travelers plan to hit the road in 2018 for business and leisure than last year.

According to a survey from ground transportation company The GO Group, LLC., 27 percent of respondents plan on traveling more for business while 33 said they would be traveling more for leisure.

Last year's version of the study found that only 15 percent of respondents planned on traveling more frequently for business and 21 percent more for leisure compared with 2016.

The travel industry should be rejoicing as the survey also revealed only six percent of this year's survey participants plan to travel less in 2018 for business and five percent less for leisure.

"Based on the statistics, the potential increase in business and leisure travel should have a huge impact on airlines, hotels and related industries," The GO Group president John McCarthy said in a statement. "The travel and tourism industry creates jobs and generates global prosperity so this is really positive news."

Though 27 and 33 percent note they will travel the same amount for business and leisure respectively, 39 percent are unsure of business travel plans and 30 percent for leisure.

The travel and tourism industries continue to thrive as the World Travel and Tourism Council revealed in its 2016 survey that 8.1 percent of the United States gross domestic product came from travel and tourism.


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