This month, as the industry steps back from the brink, the Business Travel Executive Think Tank team considers questions of confidence – what’s happened to it, and what we need to do to get it back.
By Travel Buyer Think Tank
In each issue of Business Travel Executive, the members of our Buyer Think Tank offer their individual thoughts on what’s hot, what’s cool and what’s coming next in managed travel.
The Think Tank is a team of eight veteran travel managers from programs that run the gamut in size and complexity – but each member contributes a unique viewpoint. Travel Buyer’s POV brings fresh perspectives and ideas to inspire innovation and thought leadership in the corporate travel industry.
Unprecedented doesn’t even begin to cover the impact which the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the world in general, and on the world of travel in particular. As travelers start to return, it looks like the dark night may be coming to an end. However, this in no way heralds a return to life as we left it. The blows to our confidence this past year have been punishing, and that will take time to heal.
This month, as the industry steps back from the brink, the Business Travel Executive Think Tank team considers questions of confidence – what’s happened to it, and what we need to do to get it back.
Concerns & Uncertainty Travel, as we once knew it, ceased to exist at the end of the first quarter of 2020. Once we untangled reality from media sensationalism, we found ourselves in the middle of a true, raging, global pandemic which brought all travel to a standstill. Once summer arrived, cabin fever set in, and new disinfection procedures, mask mandates, and social distancing rules gave traveler confidence a cautious little boost. Although leisure travel has started back, corporate liability concerns remain, especially with new virus variants creating more uncertainty.
As more people are vaccinated and the number of infections starts to decline, leisure travel will pick up ultimately spilling over to corporate travel later in the year. – Chris Brockman
Cooperation, Patience, Respect In order to restore travel post-9/11, measures were put in place which at that time seemed extreme; today we consider them to be normal. The same is true now. Confidence will return when there is consistency and an understanding of what to expect on a trip.
However that time is not yet; we are still struggling to reach consensus on travel safety standards overall. Vaccine rollouts and rapid effective testing are not easy to implement and there will be problems along the way. What is needed most from travelers is cooperation with the rules, patience and respect for the people tasked with delivering a safe, quality travel experience. – David Smith
One Step Forward, Two Back Returning to travel is a tricky business. On the one hand, the new vaccines offer hope. On the other hand, new variants of the virus are spreading around the globe. One step forward and two back it seems. Companies are struggling to determine how to budget for future travel.
My program is still only traveling at volumes that are ten percent of what they were in 2019. A recent survey of our travelers found 60 percent were ready and willing to travel; the remaining 40 percent were ready but cautious. None were against traveling but the response was very low.
Not traveling is just not an option for a healthy economy. Travel will return but more slowly than we all wish. – Mark Zeigler
Setting the Standards Travel is so important to our businesses and the overall economy, so we need to regain the confidence to travel – not so much among travelers, but within our corporations. Most organizations continue to be wary of travel. Making it even more complex are the inconsistent requirements from governments and travel suppliers around testing, vaccines, quarantines, etc.
We need to unite as an industry and deliver one set of standards to the traveling public. Only then can our companies feel more confident in travel to help us get back to business. – Jennifer Steinke
Ready to Go, But... Most people are ready to get back on the road and connect in-person, but many factors still impact the timing and nature of future meetings and events. Venues have done a great job compromising and being flexible, a fact truly appreciated by buyers. A greater focus on broadband infrastructure would help make hybrid events more effective.
Well-publicized safety protocols are also vital in regaining confidence. But even with all the right measures in place for a virus-free in-person event, many companies have curtailed travel to save money. Each organization will have to factor in their culture and objectives to tailor their return to travel and events.
We will meet again! – Wendy Palmer
Listen to Travelers Building back traveler confidence seems to be a moving target these days. Just when you think you have it right, something changes – such as the new virus variants – and it's back to square one. I see travelers who want to get back on planes, especially those in sales, but we still only allow essential travel.
To help build confidence, we've put more emphasis on listening to travelers’ concerns and soliciting feedback. The top requests have been for extended stay properties or hotels that offer ways to store and/or prepare meals. Others want to drive their vehicles versus flying or using rentals. These are straightforward requests from those still traveling, some of which will remain in policy when things do return to normal. – Cheryl Benjamin