Business travel is no longer a perk

So, your job requires a lot of travel, it must be loads of fun. This is a stereotype response from many of us when we hear someone say his or her job entails a lot of travel. But do business travellers think the same way?

One thing is quite certain, travelling for business has long ceased to be a perk. Agrees R K Amar Babu, director, (South Asia), sales and marketing group, Intel, ''Business travel is no longer a perk."

The World Tourism Council (WTC) has estimated an increase in Indian business travel, both incoming and outbound by around 8 per cent annually. While this may be good news for the tourism ministry which has seen a growth of almost 100% in business travel since 2001, business travellers themselves are ambivalent about globe trotting.

Says Rajeev Anand, assistant director, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ''If there is an outstation client, I don't think twice before getting onto a plane. Moreover, corporations like ours approve of such travel as it helps us get the desired results." 

Travelling has certainly become more frequent and stressful. Babu of Intel lives in and out of a suitcase every week. The same is the case with Gautam Advani, director, multimedia, Nokia India who is hopping places 20 days in a month.

''I don't even consider it as something outside of my job. It is just another job that has to be done and surely, there is nothing to be envied about," says Chandrajeet Banerjee, senior director, CII.

According to one estimate by the Frequent Flying magazine, senior executives in the fields of IT, software, BPOs, banks and FMCG are amongst the most travelled lot in India. About 50 per cent of them go on long haul flights once every six months.

And, 90 per cent of them undertake domestic flights every month and a majority of t hem travel business class.

New technologies have only added to the woes. Babu of Intel has an interesting anectode to relate in this respect. 

''During our honeymoon, I carried my laptop along. My wife and I clicked a picture with the device in hand. Now, my wife always makes it a point to show this snap to all my friends and says, pati, patni aur woh!"

Or take the case of Salil Kapoor, head, marketing, Microsoft India. Earlier as the marketing head of LG, he had to tour 100 days a year. ''Business travel involves a lot of hard work and even when we have fun, it is combined with work," he says. Adds Anand of PwC, ''I am in constant touch with my office even when I am travelling. There have been occasions when I have dictated drafts to my secretary over phone."

Babu of Intel says frequent fliers have to take care of their health as one has to eat all kinds of food during sojourns. ''On my part, I try to take an early morning flight and be back in Mumbai the same day." That means getting up at the crack of dawn and hitting the sack well past midnight.