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WHICH TRIBE DO YOU BELONG TO?

Egencia, the outfit formerly known as Expedia Corporate Travel, has published the results of a "worldwide" survey - covering the UK, France, Germany, the US and Canada - which explores the "DNA of today's business traveller". More than 2,400 people were questioned, and were duly divided, on the basis of their responses, into traveller tribes.

THE EXPERIENCE-HUNGRY TRIBE The largest, and arguably laziest, group - 39 per cent of the 2,400-plus respondents. Camera-toting tribe members plan business trips "with as much free time as possible" so that they can "explore new destinations".
Predictably, tribe members tend to be employees rather than bosses. Equally predictably, the French are strongly represented.

BBT VERDICT: Business-like or business lite?

THE HYPER-CONNECTED TRIBE Representing 23 per cent of the survey sample, these travellers tend to be top managers, PDAs and laptops at the ready, whose prime focus is "business objectives".
More often than not married, they don't necessarily enjoy travelling, but welcome "the opportunity to develop business networks".

BBT VERDICT: Get a life.

THE COST-CONSCIOUS TRIBE Tribespeople who tend to work for companies with less than 50 employees and "make sure that value for money is a key priority for every business trip".
Overall, 14 per cent of all travellers fall into this category, with stingy Brits (17 per cent) most cost-conscious and the flamboyant French (nine per cent) bringing up the rear.

BBT VERDICT: Quelle surprise.

THE HOME-FOCUSED TRIBE Generally aged between 35 and 45, these are the least enthusiastic travellers, despite the fact that they tend to have small children.
That said, they constitute only seven per cent of the survey sample, and their numbers presumably diminish as those little darlings turn into traumainducing teenagers.

BBT VERDICT: Aaaah, bless.

THE SEASONED-TRAVELLER TRIBE Proper travellers, with no nambypamby concerns about experiences, objectives or offspring. Get the job done, no messing, by taking a couple of trips - quite likely organised by a minion - every month. Travel is accepted as an integral part of working life, but only for six per cent of the Egencia respondents.

BBT VERDICT: Role models.

THE GREEN TRAVELLER TRIBE The smallest of the traveller subsets, comprising just four per cent of the total, but with the greatest growth potential. "This group only travels by plane if there is no other option."
Tribespeople have also "frequently considered" offsetting - although there is no evidence that they have actually followed through.

BBT VERDICT: The first green shoots?