Corporate eSIMs Transform Business Travel Productivity
New research from Holafly for Business reveals that 81.3% of business travellers report a positive impact on productivity when using a corporate eSIM, compared to 61.2% for traditional corporate roaming and 52.4% for employees who arrange their own connectivity. The findings, published in Holafly's Summer Travel & eSIM Report 2026, underscore a fundamental shift in how professionals work while travelling.
Security Overtakes Speed as Top Priority
More than four in ten business travellers now identify secure internet access as their top priority when staying connected abroad, surpassing both speed and coverage. This reflects the growing need to access enterprise systems, cloud platforms, and sensitive corporate data securely while travelling internationally. Business travellers increasingly prioritise secure, reliable access to digital tools over relying on unsecured public Wi‑Fi networks.
Demographic Shift in Business Travellers
According to the report, business travellers now represent almost one in five international travellers. The profile of this group is changing rapidly: more than half are under the age of 35, while the proportion aged over 45 has fallen by 7.4 percentage points compared with the previous year. Younger professionals prefer digital-first solutions such as eSIMs, while older travellers continue to rely more heavily on traditional roaming services.
Connectivity Stress Affects Majority of Travellers
The report highlights that connectivity challenges are no longer a minor inconvenience. An overwhelming 86.5% of business travellers report having experienced stress caused by connectivity issues while travelling. This stress directly impacts performance and decision-making, particularly for those who cannot access work tools seamlessly upon arrival.
Quote from Holafly for Business VP
“Business travel used to be about getting from one place to another. Today, it is about carrying your entire working environment with you,” said Alex Bryzowski, VP of Holafly for Business. “Professionals are expected to respond and make decisions wherever they are in the world. What our research shows is that they need the confidence to work securely and effectively from anywhere.”
Implications for Corporate Travel Policies
As work becomes increasingly distributed and international travel more integrated into everyday business operations, organisations may need to rethink how they support employees on the move. The modern business trip is defined not by the destination, but by the ability to work securely, productively and without interruption from anywhere in the world. The ability to access work securely from the moment a traveller arrives may play a larger role in productivity than many organisations currently recognise.
