A pilot study of business travelers’ stress-coping strategies

Abstract

This research note incorporates stress process theory to explore what stress-coping strategies have been adopted by business travelers. The results indicate that travel competence, social support, and destination activities, are three key components of the coping strategies business travelers utilize to decrease their stress on the road. Also, this study indicates that healthy menus, in-room amenities (i.e., technology, a temperature control panel, and quality of bedding and bath amenities), and convenience (i.e., distance to business sites/airport and hotel services) were considered important hotel attributes that help business travelers overcome travel-related stress. This study took an initial attempt to explore business travelers’ coping strategies used to combat travel-related stress. Since the need of understanding business travelers’ well-being and work–life balance has been increasing, this study could contribute to the limited research related to business travelers’ stress and bring suggestions for corporate travel policies and programs, as well as travel satisfaction. Consequently, this study broaches the subject of business travelers’ stress and implications for hospitality service providers.