A new report from the Business Travel Association (BTA) and Censuswide has revealed a seismic shift in the face of business travel across the UK, challenging persistent stereotypes and calling for urgent investment in transport infrastructure.
The study, which surveyed more than 1,000 UK professionals who travel for work, found that 62% of all business trips are domestic, with skilled tradespeople, engineers, and educators making up the majority of travellers — not just senior executives in boardrooms. The most common reasons for travelling include networking and relationship building (30%), attending events (28%), and project work (28%), underlining the essential role of in-person interactions in the British economy.
Despite the rise of remote work, 89% of respondents expect to maintain or increase their travel for work in the coming year. Clive Wratten, CEO of the BTA, said: “This isn’t about perks or prestige — it’s about getting the job done. The economy relies on a diverse group of workers travelling across the country to keep businesses moving.”
The research spotlights a clear disconnect between preference and reality in modes of travel. While rail is widely seen as a more sustainable, productive, and convenient option — with 73% of respondents rating it as better for environmental impact, and 69% for productivity — the car remains the dominant mode for domestic work trips. The report attributes this to patchy rail connectivity, high prices, and persistent reliability issues, which often leave workers with no viable alternative but to drive.
Regional disparities are stark. Cities with better-connected rail services, such as London and Manchester, show a higher preference for rail, but areas in the North East, South West, and East Midlands remain heavily car-dependent. Recent cancellation rates for some major train operators remain above the national average, further undermining trust in the system.
Accessibility remains a critical barrier for many. While 38% of disabled professionals surveyed travel at least weekly for work, only 13% say accessibility has no impact on their ability to travel. The challenges are particularly acute on the railways, where inconsistent step-free access and understaffed stations create serious limitations for those with mobility needs.
The report also highlights a growing demand for seamless, integrated travel solutions. Ninety-one percent of respondents said that a unified system for booking rail and onward travel would make rail more attractive, and over half (51%) expressed a desire for a single system to manage all types of work travel.
Wratten added: “The outdated perception of business travel as just a London-based, suit-wearing executive hopping between cities isn’t just wrong — it’s damaging. Our research has shown that the majority of travelling for work is domestic and it powers our economy. Big cities often have better services, as seen in London, but the same cannot be said for all regions, with areas in the North and Midlands suffering from fragmented services.”
The BTA is now calling for sustained investment from government and industry to address these challenges, including targeted support for routes, services, and accessibility across all modes of transport. The association argues that travel management companies, transport providers, and businesses themselves all have a role to play in driving a shift towards more sustainable, integrated, and equitable business travel across the UK.
