Indians ready for low pay if work allows travel: survey

New Delhi, Feb 2 : A new research reveals that 43 per cent of business travellers in India would accept a lower paying job if it meant they could travel more for work as compared to 30 per cent globally.

Commissioned by Booking.com for Business, the global leader in connecting business travellers with the widest choice of places to stay, the research shows that company bosses are potentially under-valuing business travel as a staff remuneration "bargaining chip" as well as a workforce motivation and retention tool, said a statement.

The findings also reflect a broader trend identified by Booking.com for Business which reveals that employees are increasingly smudging the line between business and leisure.

According to data, more than half of Indian business travellers(67 per cent) have extended their business trips, to a different city or country in the past 12 months.

The statistics indicate that this trend in India is higher as compared to the global findings (49 per cent).

Where nearly one third of Indian business travellers (48 per cent) are claiming that they intend to do the same in 2017, only 27 per cent claim the same globally.

Additionally, 69 per cent of Indian travellers surveyed, believe that they will travel more for business in 2017 than they did in 2016, as versus a global finding of 46 per cent.

Ripsy Bandourian, Director of Product Development, Booking.com for Business said: "No longer seen as lost time or a career inconvenience, business travel is increasingly seen as an opportunity to expand horizons, find inspiration and progress in a career."

"Today's laptop and latte breed of employee is increasingly mobile and fluid with their travel plans, looking to strike a balance between business and leisure travel," Bandourian said.

"As such, they expect employers to keep pace with their need for greater fluidity and flexibility and are even prepared to negotiate on salary to do so."

"It's why Booking.com for Business is focused on providing a diverse range of accommodation choices for business travellers as well as ensuring they can find, manage and enjoy company stays in the simplest, smartest and most rewarding way," Bandourian added.