Executive Travel : Traveling Abroad

U.S. business travelers circle the globe as they check in with clients and subsidiaries or home office.

Main reasons for international business trips

Visit clients/sales calls: 43%

Visit home/branch offices

Purchasing: 5%

Other: 9%

Workers who typically travel internationally

Senior management: 99%

Sales / marketing: 85%

Operators: 65%

Research: 45%

Client services: 38%

Trainees: 14%

Other: 13%

Amount of days business travelers spend abroad annually

1-10: 62%

11-20: 24%

21-30: 5%

31-40: 5%

41 or more: 4%

Company policies on international air travel

Traveler may fly business class if trip exceeds a certain length: 45

Traveler must take lowest convenient fare: 38 Traveler may fly business class: 34 Only senior managers may fly first or business class: 20 Traveler may fly first class if trip exceeds a certain length: 1 Traveler may fly first class: 1 No international travel policy

International business destinations

% of companies whose workers travel to this destination

Western Europe: 85

Canada: 80

Far East: 72

Mexico: 71

Australia & Polynesia: 63

South America: 57

Latin America: 55

Eastern Europe: 55

Middle East: 39

Africa: 29

Other: 4 Source: Runzheimer International, a management consulting firm based in Rochester, Wis.