Photo via Wikimedia/Rene Ehrhardt

Photo via Wikimedia/Rene Ehrhardt

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) polled its U.S. and European members to assess the business travel impact of President Trump’s revised executive order on travel.

Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) U.S. business travel professionals expect some level of reduction in their company’s travel because of the revised executive order. Even more European travel professionals felt this way — with 47% expecting some level of reduction in business travel for their company.

Additionally, 17% of European travel professionals reported that their company has already cancelled U.S. business travel because of the executive orders issued, according to the poll.

Thirty-eight percent of European business travel professionals said their company’s would be less willing to send business travelers to the U.S. in the future because of the executive order and 45% indicated their company will be less willing to plan future meetings and events in the U.S., according to the poll.

“There is always the risk that closing our borders sends the message that the United States is closed for business, and the results of this poll show the perception of the United States as a welcoming destination for business travel has been altered,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA’s executive director and COO. “As we always say, security is paramount, but GBTA continues to be a proponent for expanding proven security programs and developing new technology to facilitate information-sharing among governments to ensure travelers are always vetted properly, making us all more safe and secure.”

According to the poll, here are other highlights:

• 44% of European travel professionals reported their organization currently has employees traveling abroad who might be or are affected by the current travel ban.

• 20% of European travel professionals reported there are directives within their organization to cancel or delay travel of employees who are nationals of countries included in the ban.

• U.S. travel professionals cited potential for countries to respond to this ban, making travel more difficult for U.S. travelers (51%), complications in travel to the United States (44%), and increased threats against U.S. travelers abroad (41%) as their top concerns for lasting impacts of the travel ban.

• When asked about top concerns regarding the immigration ban on your travelers, increased traveler harassment in general (41%), uncertainty regarding green card and approved visa credibility to enter the U.S. (34%), and harassment of U.S. travelers to and from the Middle East (34%) topped the list. More than one-third (34%), however, didn’t share any of the concerns listed.

The poll of European members was conducted online between March 7 and 8, 2017. The respondents are comprised of 148 European travel managers, 51 of whom reside in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, or Sweden). The poll of U.S. members was also conducted online between March 7 and 8 and is comprised of 176 travel managers.

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