The average cost of a business trip to New York City is $866 (£611) daily, making the city the priciest in the world for business travellers, according to a new report by global mobility experts ECA International.
“The high demand for hotels in New York is reflected in the premium rate that rooms are currently charged at, averaging $556 (£392) per night at a 4-star hotel,†said Simon Franklin, daily rates manager at ECA International.
“The high cost of hotels and transport, as well as mandatory 15-20 per cent tipping policies during meals out, contribute to the US city being the most expensive in the world for business travel.â€
Geneva, Switzerland was the second costliest business-travel destination in the world and the most expensive in Europe, costing an average of $786 (£554) per night.
Close behind was Zurich ($729/£514), followed by a few unexpected destinations — Luanda, Angola and Bridgetown, Barbados — and then Paris, Nassau (Bahamas), Washington, DC, Basel, and Monaco.
“Swiss cities once again dominate the most expensive places for business trips in Europe, with five different locations in the top 10 (and three of the top 10 globally),†noted Franklin.
“Switzerland has always been an expensive nation for business travel, and this year is no different as the Swiss franc has performed very strongly.â€
The report noted that while a strong Euro also has kept business travel costs comparably high in other parts of Europe, the cost of doing business in London, Aberdeen, and other cities in the UK has declined.
