While leisure travel is the product that most international tour operators and U.S.-based receptive tour operators market and sell, the activity and unit costs of the key components of the travel experience are an integral part of the travel package—literally and figuratively. And there is also a small niche market involving leisure travel that is part of the business travel experience—the “Bleisure” traveler—that is affected by the travel market’s response to the pressures of supply and demand.
Tying all of the above into one study is the annual report on business travel costs put out by Runzheimer, the well-known and regarded business management consultant based in Waterford, Wisconsin. A useful tool for the business travel managers and agencies, the report is also useful to understand and track its components when knowing what factors to consider in putting together the parts of a leisure product or package. Following are some highlights of Runzheimer’s 2019 Costs of Business Travel report.
Most Expensive States for Business Travel: When looking at the most expensive states for business travel, certain regions come to mind. The Northeast and the West Coast are among the most expensive regions for business travel. But other expensive states are not clustered into a single area. Additionally, trip costs are not only driven by the state where employees travel. Costs in specific metropolitan areas also make a big impact on business trips.
Most Expensive U.S. Cities for Business Travelers: Prices can vary widely between cities themselves and the areas that surround them. Add up the costs of lodging, ground transportation and meals for a three-day/two-night trip in a major city. It’s likely to cost up to 55 percent more than the average destination. Taking a city-by-city approach is the most accurate way to analyze business travel expenses,
A note on Methodology: Runzheimer analyzed travel cost data from 60 of the most common destinations for U.S. domestic business travel for this study. Airfare costs were calculated using median values for 14-day advance airfares.
