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April 2022
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SURVEY: 77% OF BUSINESS TRAVELERS, 64% OF WORKERS SAY RETURN OF BUSINESS TRAVEL MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER A new survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) finds that sentiment around business travel is shifting, with 77% of business travelers and 64% of employed Americans agreeing that it is more important than ever to bring back business travel.
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Nearly two-thirds of business travelers say the increased reliance on virtual work that has become common during the pandemic is negatively impacting both productivity (64%) and workplace culture (65%).
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The survey also finds nearly seven in ten Americans (69%) approve of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent move to relax mask requirements, with many travelers responding by making additional travel plans. Among Americans who are currently employed, 43% say they are more likely to travel for business compared to 202021 in response to relaxed public health requirements from the CDC and state and local governments.
Individual tickets are free for SCRLA Members. Member properties may receive up to five (5) tickets. Pre-registration is required for all tickets at SCRLA.org/events.
Event Spotlight ANDERSON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER SWEEPS 2022 SOUTH CAROLINA PROSTART INVITATIONAL COMPETITIONS The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Foundation hosted its 16th Annual South Carolina ProStart Invitational on March 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia. Approximately 100 students from 16 high schools demonstrated their business acumen and culinary arts skill set at the statewide competition.
The two winning teams earned more than $10,000 in scholarships and the opportunity to compete against teams from other states at the National ProStart Invitational in Washington D.C. in May.
Other key findings include the following: • • •
Students from Anderson Career and Technology Center won first place in both the Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management Competitions. The school serves nearly 2,000 students from Belton-Honea Path, Palmetto, Powdersville, and Wren High Schools in the Anderson I & II School Districts. More than 80 industry and post-secondary judges and volunteers were on hand to select the winning teams. Students were evaluated on their uniform and professional appearance, teamwork, decision making ability, product taste, and overall menu appeal.
The survey of 2,210 adults was conducted March 8-9, 2022. Of these, 256 people, or 12% of respondents, are business travelers—that is, those who either work in a job that typically includes work-related travel or who expect to travel for business at least once this year.
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80% of employed Americans and 86% of business travelers say face-to-face interactions are important for maximizing company success 61% of adults and 74% of business travelers agree that inperson meetings and business travel build organizational strength in a way virtual interactions cannot 59% of adults and 77% of business travelers agree that inperson meetings and business travel foster collaboration in a way virtual interactions cannot 57% of adults and 76% of business travelers agree that inperson meetings and business travel facilitate productivity in a
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way virtual interactions cannot 56% of adults and 71% of business travelers agree COVID-19 has created a greater need for face-to-face connection that virtual-only meetings cannot satisfy 46% of adults and 65% of business travelers say an increased reliance on virtual work negatively impacts workplace culture 44% of adults and 64% of business travelers agree that an increased reliance on virtual work negatively impacts productivity 86% of employed Americans and 89% of business travelers say face-to-face interactions are important for establishing and maintaining relationships with coworkers 85% of employed Americans and 88% of business travelers say face-to-face interactions are important for establishing and maintaining relationships with clients 82% of employed Americans and 89% of business travelers say face-to-face interactions are important for professional trainings 80% of employed Americans and 83% of business travelers say face-to-face interactions are important for keeping morale high
“The last two years of virtual work arrangements and travel restrictions have underscored the importance of travel and face-to-face meetings for businesses, employees and customers alike. These results are proof of that,” said AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “Most Americans recognize the unmatched value business travel and face-to-face meetings provide. And after the last two years, the return of business travel is more important than ever.” With corporate travel policies still in flux, business and group travel, the hotel industry’s largest source of revenue, will take significantly longer to recover than leisure travel. According to AHLA’s State of the Industry report, business travel overall is expected to increase in 2022 compared to last year, and, according to an analysis by Kalibri Labs, by quarter three it is projected to reach 80% of 2019 figures. While a full recovery isn’t expected until 2024, global business travel is projected to increase by 14% in 2022.
Take your restaurant tech to the next level and Pictured from L-R: Addison Hendrich, Miguel Garcia, Storm Collins, Chris Moree, Hanna Ciplickas, and Kobe Powell
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