Tribes

Q2 2025: Nearly All Business Travelers Say Travel Moves Their Career Forward—But Only If It Delivers

Written by MODIV | Jun 6, 2025 2:28:15 PM

Work Trips = Growth Trips

 

Roughly 9 out of 10 of business travelers view upcoming trips as career-advancing, but that aspiration hinges on the trip delivering real outcomes: visibility, professional connections, and growth.

 

It’s not just about going somewhere; it’s about what the trip makes possible.

 

Hospitality brands are now part of a traveler’s personal brand story. To deliver value, travel experiences must drive professional ROI. That means positioning your hotel or brand as a place to stay and a hub for career momentum. Spaces for executive networking, meeting facilitation, and premium digital connectivity now determine whether your property makes the short list.

 

Quote from the Tribe:

"This upcoming trip isn’t just about meetings — it’s a chance to finally connect with industry leaders I’ve only met online. I’m hoping it opens doors for future collaborations and maybe even a new role down the line.” 

  • Turkey-based business traveler - 20 professional trips per year.

 

Commercial Takeaway:

Refine your value proposition for career-minded travelers: Build, feature, and promote elements that enable professional progress—upgrade Wi-Fi zones, private lounges, property-hosted networking events, or proximity to major conference centers. These should feature early in your planning stage content.

 

Message us to discuss how your approach compares.

 

 

About the MODIV Tribes Series

Since 2022, MODIV’s always-on Mindset® study has engaged more than 48,000 frequent travelers across 25 countries. Our mission: decode the why behind traveler behavior—so travel and hospitality brands can act smarter, faster, and with greater commercial precision.

Our Tribes series distills what hospitality leaders need to know—direct from the source. Each quarter, we engage Business Travelers, Luxury Travelers, Zillennials, and Meeting Planners through our proprietary Mindset® study, then translate what we hear into strategic insights you can use.

This isn't one-and-done research. Each week, we go back to a tribe to test sharper questions based on what you tell us you need to know. Got a question you want answered? We invite you to add your voice in the comments or reach out directly.

 

About the Business Travel Tribe

This study reflects insights from a blended qualitative and quantitative session with 152 travelers across 15 countries, all of whom take 6+ annual business trips requiring flights and hotels. Participants represent a diverse mix of industries, company sizes, job levels, and travel policy types.