The most expensive cities to visit for business travel

IN SPITE of depressed demand for business travel to Hong Kong in 2022, it remained the most expensive location in the region and was the 16th most expensive location globally, according to ECA International.

Globally, New York remains the most expensive location in the world for business travel.

The average business trip to Hong Kong costs an overall total of $520 (about R9 500) a day.

This is a small decrease of $4 from last year’s total. This was one of the findings of the latest Daily Rates research published by ECA International, a leading provider of knowledge, information and software for the management and assignment of employees around the world.

“Hong Kong has always been one of the most expensive Asian locations to visit on business, and remains so,”aid Lee Quane, regional director – Asia at ECA International.

“Business travel costs decreased in 2022, albeit slightly, due to low volumes of business travel demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and a poorly performing economy.”

Updated annually, ECA’S Daily Rates reports provide average costs for hotel accommodation, which makes up the bulk of any daily allowance, as well as meals, drinks, laundry, taxi costs and daily essentials.

This information is used by companies to determine daily expense allowances for staff who undertake business travel.

Singapore is now the second most expensive location in the region and the average daily cost of a business trip, at $515, is now only slightly cheaper than Hong Kong.

In 2022 Singapore overtook Tokyo, which moved to third place.