Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on International Business Travel and Associated Health Issues: A Survey of Japanese Public Companies

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesCompared to long-term expatriates, the health issues of short-term international business travellers are less clear. Particularly, there are no reports on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the changes in health challenges faced by Japanese international business travellers owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignCross-sectional survey research using questionnairesSettingWe surveyed 3,845 listed public companies in Japan in September 2021.ParticipantsA total of 251 companies responded (response rate: 6.5%), of which 131 (52%) had foreign travel requirements for their business.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe survey included questions regarding company size, business type, necessity for foreign travel, destination and number of trips, common health issues that arise, and the importance of business travel before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsAmong the companies, 44% replied that they could not predict the number of foreign business trips after the pandemic. However, 64% of companies responded that business travel would continue to be important in the future. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the most important health concerns faced by business travellers were illness during travel (42%), followed by the prevention of infectious diseases and lifestyle disease management. Post-pandemic, 48% of the responses were for infectious diseases, including COVID-19, followed by 40% for travel-related diseases, and 25% for lifestyle-related diseases.ConclusionsOwing to global economic and social activities, business travel will continue to be necessary in the post-COVID-19 era. Comprehensive health management including prevention of infectious diseases is desirable for business travel.Strengths and limitations of this studyThis study provides valuable insights into the health problems of short-term expatriates, an area which has been left relatively unexplored compared to its long-term counterparts.The potentially transformative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of expatriates are also considered.This study will form a foundational document for reviewing the impact of the pandemic and establishing a healthcare system designed for business travellers in preparation for future pandemics.The survey was exclusively conducted among Japanese firms, which restricts its scope and generalisability.Because the survey was conducted from managers’ perspective, it did not provide an accurate assessment of the actual health status of business travellers.