Female Organization Travelers Nonetheless Face Security Issues

Skift Take

Generating enterprise travel additional inclusive for ladies would go a extended way in assisting the sector make additional progress in its recovery. But firms nevertheless have a lot of operate to do aid female enterprise travelers overcome the challenges they face.

— Rashaad Jorden

Skift Investigation examined how female enterprise travelers had been shaping the sector in a 2014 report, noting that firms had been increasingly taking methods to address the requires of this increasing segment.

The “Rise of Female Organization Travelers” addressed how travel brands could facilitate corporate travel for ladies, like enhancing safety and designing female-friendly spaces. And as female-owned firms had been projected to expand worldwide, Skift Investigation mentioned, “Women are determined to move forward in enterprise and make their mark.”

Here’s a appear at what’s changed and hasn’t changed for female enterprise travelers more than the previous decade.

Safety Nonetheless an Problem

Skift Investigation mentioned in 2014, “Society has not but evolved to the point exactly where ladies can really feel as protected as males in like situations.” A 2018 survey by the International Organization Travel Association, in partnership with AIG Travel, identified that 83 % of ladies had seasoned at least one particular security-connected concern or incident in the earlier 12 months.

“That impacted their effectively-becoming and what they did in their spare time,” mentioned Carolyn Pearson, CEO of Maiden Voyage, a Leeds, England-primarily based corporation that offers consulting solutions for corporations in search of to make inroads amongst female enterprise travelers.

“But it also impacted their functionality when they had been away on enterprise.”

The International Organization Travel Association identified only 18 % of corporate travel policies especially address the security and safety of female enterprise travelers. In addition, a 2023 survey by Toronto-primarily based insurer, Planet Travel Protection, identified 19 % of female enterprise travelers really feel their employers really should “act with women’s security in thoughts,” like guaranteeing flights do not arrive late at evening.

Although Pearson believes the travel sector has enacted measures to aid ladies traveling on enterprise, she mentioned travel brands are not clear about these intentions.

“What they’re now referring to is solo travelers,” Pearson mentioned, citing as an instance hotels not allocating solo travelers rooms on the ground floor.

“Quite generally, ladies who expertise troubles on their enterprise travel do not report these to their organizations,” mentioned Individual, who added that travelers really should ask themselves if they’re comfy going to a particular location on enterprise as effectively as how their employer can aid them.

“So often, they’re hearing these items for the very first time. And if organizations do not hear about the troubles, they cannot take methods to resolve them.”

What else can firms do? “The quantity one particular point that firms can do to address security issues for ladies traveling on enterprise is to give correct, up-to-date intel so that ladies can make the choices that are correct for them,” mentioned Kim Callender, CEO of SoloTrvlr, a platform for female travelers.

“This incorporates information about neighborhoods exactly where crime or sexual assault are higher, guidance concerning the security of different transportation selections, information on regional customs so that it is less difficult to blend in, and other security intel from trusted sources.”

Thinking of Female Organization Travelers in Hotel and Airport Style

Skift Investigation mentioned in its 2014 report that several airport lounges had been nevertheless a incredibly masculine domain and made accordingly — even immediately after Korean Air introduced a devoted region for female travelers in its Prestige Lounge at Incheon International Airport 3 years prior. A group of female enterprise travelers mentioned in a February 2014 Skift short article that they’d like, amongst other characteristics, additional rooms for nursing mothers in airport lounges as effectively as massage chairs.

In addition, Skift Investigation talked about that some hotels — such as the 4 Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — had devoted floors for ladies. Other properties worldwide, like Dubai’s TIME Asma Hotel, have floors and amenities reserved for female travelers.

Although Pearson mentioned she hasn’t noticed hotels and airports make adjustments in styles to suit female enterprise travelers, Callender cited the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act. Enacted in 2018, it needs all medium and massive U.S. airports to give private spaces in every single terminal for lactating mothers. The act has also resulted in Mamava pods becoming installed in airports across the U.S.

“This is a godsend for ladies traveling on enterprise immediately after a maternity leave,” she mentioned.

Photo Credit: A enterprise traveler about to catch a flight