As time goes on, more women are making their way into the world of business, and that means more women are going on business trips, both domestically and internationally. The business travel industry, which used to be a bit of a boy's club, is shifting to be more gender-neutral. But do men and women travel for business in the same styles? As it turns out, there are a lot of similarities, but also a few things that separate the two types of travelers. Take a closer look below:
Travel styles
In general, men and women travel for business in about the same style - they like to stay productive on the road and get from point A to B in the most efficient way possible. CNBC noted a few differences between the genders, however. According to the source, women are more likely to send an itinerary to a friend or family member before leaving on the trip. Additionally, 63 percent of men travel solo, while only 48 percent of female business travelers go alone.
Women tend to book flights two days earlier than men, on average.Travel booking
Men and women also have a few differences when it comes to booking their business travel plans. CNBC reported that women are more likely to start the packing process before booking hotel room, while men are more focused on booking the hotel first. However, Harvard Business Review said that women travelers book their flights an average of two days earlier than men. Both genders want great deals on business flights, but it's more often the women that actually get them. In fact, HBR suggested that, if all traveling employees at a large company booked their travel two days earlier, it could save the company as much as $1 million a year.
Social considerations
Smart Women Travelers reported that women traveling alone for business - or for any reason -need to take precautions that men typically don't have to worry about, especially when traveling abroad.
The blog interviewed Julie Barron Morrill, an emergency management consultant, who had this advice for solo female travelers: "If I could recommend one thing only that would help people stay safe it would be this: be observant. Being observant helps you recognize potentially dangerous situations early, so that you can avoid them or prepare for them."
Men and women will probably never travel in exactly the same style, but women shouldn't have to take special concerns about their safety just because they're traveling alone. Nevertheless, the increasing numbers of female business travelers is a good thing and it will be interesting to see how this group continues to evolve over the next few years.
