- Europe is the most popular destination in the world for business travellers. The new ETIAS visa waiver will soon become essential for business travel to the Schengen Area.
- Business travel statistics show that numbers of visitors for meetings and conferences in Europe are rising. How will the new ETIAS visa waiver affect business travel in the Schengen Area?
Corporate travel has, for many years, made up a significant portion of international tourism in Europe. With intercontinental travel becoming faster and more economical, attending business meetings and company events is now commonplace.
Entrepreneurs too have shown a willingness to visit European nations to take part in conferences and keep up to date with the latest global trends, often taking advantage of the trip to discover somewhere new.
The upcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will soon make business travel to Europe safer than ever. Passengers will simply have to fill in a quick online form before setting off.
ETIAS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS
Business travellers from many countries will soon be able to take advantage of the new European visa waiver. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System will be launched in 2026 and become a mandatory entry requirement.
The ETIAS visa waiver is being introduced to increase security across the Schengen Area. The system will prescreen tourists before they arrive in Europe, allowing authorities to block the entrance of anyone who poses a threat to public safety.
ETIAS will be valid for business activities such as attending a meeting, conference, or other events. It cannot be used, however, to enter into paid employment in a European country. To do so, a work permit from the specific EU nation is required.
BENEFITS OF THE ETIAS VISA WAIVER FOR PROFESSIONALS
The benefits of the ETIAS visa waiver for business travel include:
- Apply just once every 3 years for multiple trips to Europe (unless the passport expires)
- Stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days per 180-day period
- The same permit is valid for all Schengen countries
- Fast and efficient online ETIAS application process
- Electronically linked to the passport, no need to carry around a physical permit
- Increased safety across Schengen nations
Business travellers from countries that are not included in the visa-exemption programme are required to obtain a Schengen visa from an embassy or consulate. In addition, some EU countries offer digital nomad visas suitable for some remote workers.
BUSINESS TRAVEL TO EUROPE IN 2023
The world is also returning to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most travel restrictions are being reduced or removed altogether.
Business travellers are now returning to Europe for meetings, conferences, and more. Although visitor numbers are still not as high as in 2019, business traveller statistics show an upward trend.
According to one survey, Europe is the top destination for business travellers. 37% said their Europe would be their first business trip of 2022, compared to 28% for Asia and 26% for North America.
This is not surprising with the number of business hubs and top MICE destinations located in the EU. These include Madrid, which has been named World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination at the World Travel Awards for the last 3 years.
Business travellers from visa-exempt countries can go to Europe without an electronic travel authorisation throughout 2022. ETIAS will be introduced in 2026 .
IS BREXIT AFFECTING BUSINESS TRAVEL IN EUROPE?
Some British professionals previously expressed concern regarding the effect of Brexit on travelling to Europe.
Business travel to the EU after Brexit has not changed much for UK passport holders. There is still no visa requirement for entry to EU or Schengen Area countries.
The only major difference is that now there is a limit on the time British citizens can spend in Europe. Brits can spend up to 90 days within any 180-day period within the Schengen Area. This includes business visits and holidays in any of the member states.
Brits will also need to register with ETIAS to enjoy the benefits of visa-free travel from 2026 .
HOW DOES COVID-19 AFFECT BUSINESS TRAVEL TO EUROPE IN 2022?
The coronavirus pandemic had a huge impact on global business travel statistics from 2020 to 2022. Travel restrictions meant that business travel was impossible for some periods, while at other times, the rules were complicated.
The situation has improved enormously and continues to get better. European countries have reduced their travel restrictions or removed them altogether.
ARE ONLINE MEETINGS THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS TRAVEL IN EUROPE?
Companies have turned to technology: videoconferencing and virtual meetings are now a part of daily life for millions of workers.
Many organisations have shifted towards online solutions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some business owners now prefer to save time and money by having virtual meetings instead of sending their employees abroad.
However, according to a report from Statista, their data shows that the pandemic has not had a significant negative impact on business travel trends to the EU.
In the US, Germany, and the UK, more people said that they still preferred meetings in person. Among Americans, 40% were in favour of in-person meetings, while 30% said that modern technology made business trips obsolete. Among Germans, the difference was 45% versus 28% of those surveyed; and among Brits, 36% versus 27%.
There are still benefits to meeting a client or supervisor in person, and large networking events are not quite the same online.
On the other hand, some major financial institutions like the HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and ABN Amro have clearly stated that they will significantly reduce the number of business trips their employees make. HSBC chief executive Noel Quinn went as far as saying that his own travel will be reduced by at least 50%.
CHEAPER, GREENER EUROPEAN CORPORATE TRIPS
Keeping costs down and reducing their carbon footprint are high priorities for many businesses.
There is a general preference for longer, fewer stays abroad. By planning meetings smartly, business people will be able to achieve the same goals while taking fewer trips (and filling out fewer health declaration forms.)
Some companies such as ABN Amro are switching to train travel rather than flying between European offices with good train links.
The ETIAS visa waiver will soon be available for those who do continue to go overseas for work. Non-EU business visitors will benefit from the increased security of the travel authorisation.
BUSINESS TRAVEL IN EUROPE: STATISTICS
Statistics show the importance of business travel to the EU and global economy.
Figures from the European Union Tourism Trends Report shows that in 2016:
- Business and professional trips made up 15% of international tourists in EU destinations and 12% in extra-EU destinations
- 91.7 million international tourists visited Europe for business and professional reasons (77.1 million within the EU-28)
- Global business and professional trips totalled 176 million (out of a total of 1,239 million)
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) report shows that corporate spending is particularly important in certain European countries. Top beneficiaries in 2017 were (in USD):
Even countries more heavily associated with summer holidays benefit from professional trips: around 22 billion US dollars were spent on corporate travel in Spain in 2017.
Although business travel to Europe was obviously heavily affected during 2020 due to the pandemic, current forecasts expect business arrivals to rebound to roughly 83% of this volume in 2022 and 2023 and reach pre-COVID levels by 2025.
The effects of Brexit on professional trips to the UK are yet to be seen, however, London is likely to remain an important hub for international business.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES IN EUROPE
Some of the international business conferences scheduled to take place in European countries in 2022 are as follows:
- IMEX FRANKFURT, Frankfurt, Germany (31 May – 02 June 2022)
- M&I VIP CONNECT EUROPE, Madeira, Portugal (29 May – 1 June 2022)
- ALTS DIGITAL, Prague, Czech Republic (08 – 09 June 2022)
- M&I EUROPE AUTUMN, Porto, Portugal (August 31 – September 3, 2022)
- MICE PLACE CITY LYON, Lyon, France (22 September 2022)
- M&I PRIVATE EUROPE, Dubrovnik, Croatia (9 – 12 October 2022)
- IBTM WORLD, Barcelona, Spain (November 29 – December 1, 2022)
- BEA WORLD FESTIVAL, Milano, Italy (December 2022)
This is just a small selection of the hundreds of conferences, congresses, and conventions that take place across Europe each year, covering a wide range of fields and areas of expertise.
International events often provide valuable networking opportunities that cannot be recreated in a virtual setting. For this reason, it can be predicted that business travel to attend conferences is likely to recover to some extent after COVID-19.
