ON THE ROAD

Why business travel makes sense for the bottom line

- STORY BY IVY YOUNG

FOR COMPANIES BALANCING budgets and Zoom fatigue, business travel is often the elephant in the boardroom. Is it a necessary investment—or an expensive habit that belongs to a pre-pandemic world? According to a new study by Booking. com for Business, the answer depends less on how far you fly and more on what happens after you land.

So, what exactly is the return on investment (ROI) of business travel? In simple terms, it's the value your company gains compared to the cost of sending employees out into the world—airfare, hotels, meals and all. But this isn't just about expense reports. When done strategically, travel can be the fuel that keeps the commercial engine humming. Think of it like compound interest: Every handshake, every shared espresso at an airport café, every moment of genuine human connection adds to your long-term business capital. Studies show that 40 percent of deals are closed through in-person sales meetings, proving that sometimes eye contact does what email can't.