While virtual meetings can often suffice, the Amex GBT data shows it can be an imperfect substitute, with 70% or respondents agreeing a primarily remote-work model can make employees feel disconnected, and 88% saying that meeting in-person is critical for building positive, long-term relationships among workers.

“Connections between employees are easily stretched, so bringing people together through travel regenerates bonds, strengthens culture within organisations and creates enthusiasm,” says Huska.

This is something Deirdre Mc Gettrick, founder of ufurnish, a UK-based online furniture platform, has seen first-hand. Since the pandemic, her team of 16 employees has been working fully remotely, and now travel twice a year for company-wide meetings.

“In January, we all go away for one week to a hotel abroad, and use this time to reflect on the year just gone and set up the priorities and goals for the year ahead, both as a company and within individual departments,” says Mc Gettrick. “Then in September, we do a shorter trip in the UK, which is a work-free event, and purely about coming together as a team for a bit of fun with activities like beer tasting or clay-pigeon shooting.”