Domestic business travel to return to pre-pandemic levels, DfT suggests

There had been a reduction in the proportion of companies conducting domestic business travel in autumn 2021, when compared with the period before the pandemic, according to new research from the Department for Transport (DfT).

The survey of businesses found that three quarters of businesses (75%) that made domestic trips in the year before March 2020, said employees in their organisation continued to do so in autumn 2021.

Looking ahead to December 2022, these findings suggest that the proportion of businesses conducting domestic travel will return to pre-pandemic levels.

It found that 99% of businesses that travelled domestically pre-pandemic expected employees in their organisations to do so post pandemic.

In companies that continued domestic travel in autumn 2021, the research found that there had been a reduction in the proportion of staff travelling domestically for business when compared with the pre-pandemic period.

In organisations able to estimate their level of travel, an average (mean) of 31% of employees travelled domestically for business in autumn 2021; before the pandemic, 37% of employees in these companies did so.

Post-pandemic these companies expected the proportion of employees travelling to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Organisations able to anticipate their level of travel post-pandemic2 expected 35% of their employees to travel domestically for business.

There had been a decrease in the frequency of domestic travel amongst businesses that continued travelling in autumn 2021, when compared to the pre-pandemic period.

One third (33%) of these companies said employees travelling for business did so on average at least weekly in autumn 2021, 61% at least monthly and 39% less than once a month.

Before the pandemic, these figures were 33%, 74% and 26% respectively.

After the pandemic, these companies expected their frequency of domestic travel to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Amongst organisations able to anticipate their level of travel post-pandemic, more than a third (35%) expected staff who travel for business to do so on average at least weekly, 73% at least monthly and 27% less than once a month.

Looking at the mix of modes for domestic business trips, companies that continued to travel in autumn 2021 increased their use of car travel (private vehicle/hire car/company car) when compared with the pre-pandemic period.

In autumn 2021, an average (mean) of 37% of these companies’ domestic trips used car as the main mode of transport, an increase from 31% pre-pandemic. Their use of other modes remained the same. For example, 10% of trips used long distance train (vs. 12% pre-pandemic) and 9% used domestic air (vs. 10% pre-pandemic).

Post-pandemic, companies expected their mix of modes to be in-line with pre-pandemic levels.

Organisations able to anticipate their level of domestic travel post-pandemic expected 36% of trips to use car as the main mode, 13% to use long distance train and 10% to use domestic air.

Decarbonising business travel

Almost three quarters (72%) of companies had plans to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide generated by their business in the future.

A third (32%) had sped up their decarbonisation plans in response to the pandemic while 16% had slowed down their plans (39% said there had been no change in pace).

Respondents were asked if their business had implemented any specific actions to help reduce the number of business trips and their carbon emissions.

The most common actions were allowing increased home working (45% of organisations were offering this), substituting travel with video conferencing (40%), and allowing flexible work times (30%).

Over the next 3-5 years a further 22% of companies said they plan to start substituting travel with video conferencing, and allowing flexible work times, and 20% said they plan to start allowing increased home working

The DfT commissioned Ipsos UK to conduct an online survey of decision-makers in UK companies that undertook domestic business travel before the Covid-19 pandemic.

It focussed on the impact of the pandemic on demand for non-commuting domestic and international business trips, and on their companies’ decarbonisation plans.

Survey fieldwork took place between December 7-15, 2021.

The sample comprised 555 company managers/executives with influence over business travel decisions for employees within their organisation.

Respondents were asked about their organisation’s business travel at three time points: pre-pandemic; the 12-month period prior to the Covid-19 pandemic (i.e. from March 2019 to February 2020); Autumn 2021, the period between August and November 2021 when restrictions were relaxed; and post-pandemic, looking ahead to 12 months after survey fieldwork (i.e. December 2022), and assuming no further restrictions would be put in place.

Data is weighted to be representative of the overall population of UK businesses in terms of business size and sector.