A big chunk of India’s corporate flyers are women, new data signals opportunity

One in nearly every sixth corporate flyer in India in 2024 was a woman, according to data shared by online portal MakeMyTrip. The growing share of women in business travel is significant information not just for airlines and hotels, but also for other companies and brands who may choose to tailor products and services for the working women. The opportunity may be in the billions.

The total corporate travel market in India was estimated at over $10.8 billion a year, by consulting firm Deloitte in September 2024. It could nearly double to $20.8 billion by 2030, the report added. Even at the current rate of a sixth, women could account for a $3.5 billion of the business five years from now.

The proportion of women working, and therefore, travelling for work, is only likely to increase. Currently, women make for 23% corporate workforce, 13% hold key management personnel positions, 10% are executive directors and 5% are managing directors or CEOs, a report by pimeinfobase.com, an initiative of the PRIME Database Group, showed on March 8. 57 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange do not have a director on the Board. Half of them were state-owned enterprises

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So, in what lines of work are women more likely to take business trips? “In 2024, the education sector recorded the highest share of women in corporate travel at 28%, followed by media and entertainment (25%), and consulting (22%),” the report based on data from mybiz (the software used for corporate bookings on MakeMyTrip) said. The data is based on flight bookings made by over 3,000 companies, each with over 200 employees, which spend over ₹1 crore a year on corporate travel.

MakeMyTrip has 22% market share in India’s corporate travel bookings, according to Deloitte report last year, making it a credible source of the data on people making business trips. GBT India and Yatra had 15% share each.

So, what’s the opportunity? To begin with, prioritising the ease and safety of women travellers could be a necessity. Women-only taxis, more female staff in hospitality, better customer support in case of emergencies, and expanded CCTV coverage are some of the emerging demands in corporate travel, according to the Deloitte survey.

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