As we move towards the end of another business quarter this year, we witness and foresee several trends that have shaped the ways business travel is changing, and we believe these will set the tone for the immediate future. Here is our rundown of five business travel trends that will change the business travel landscape.
The rise of Apps
The increasing number of apps in the market to book flights, hotels, taxis, airport lounges, parking, and a whole lot of frills straight into the business traveller’s mobility needs tops the chart of business travel trends this year. Most apps on store offer immediate, custom and personalized experience on the go that can make the tech-savvy business traveller agile and lean in his approach, striking the right cord between the personal and the professional worlds.
Big data revolution
Most large companies will employ a chief data officer by the end of 2019, as Gartner could see it easily coming in the immediate future. Big data, the emerging tech wave, will utilize every clever bit of data to make travel policy and buying decisions smarter and informative. Traditionally, there is a disconnect, as procurement and human resources, being owners of travel transactional services and policy respectively hardly seem to interact. Policies are developed and published, and travel management firms apply them on a regular basis. As different departments in a company function in silos, they miss the opportunity to make use of their data to appreciate and influence booking behaviour.
Companies using intelligence from integrated data sources have continued to flourish as they bring together the ecosystem of travellers and bookers. It will throw more light on people’s decision making process of travel and meeting, as well as how it could impact the individual and the organisation as a whole.
Technology Growth curve
Most hotel chains have started adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, this year, to transform the customer experience .Allowing people to get a hang of actual experience of a different location, VR offers huge potential for the travel market. VR has a number of practical applications that includes event bookers to preview venues remotely. Unlike VR that replaces real world, augmented reality (AR) helps overlay images and information onto the set-up you are currently placed in.
Overlap of business and pleasure
Intersection of business and pleasure is now overlapping with a traveller-centric mindset i.e. businesses are placing more premium on what they feel is best for their employees when booking travel plans. This may involve giving complete authorization over booking their trip to approving a day off after a job done. This also means that they can savour some downtime all inclusive of the package.
Development of a policy regarding preferred suppliers & channels
Another trend fast catching up is that businesses are encouraging employees to book company-preferred hotels that offer several benefits and loyalty programs ahead of time. The best plan is developed ahead of time, as according to a recent study, around 12 percent of travellers face issues where they sought the assistance of their company while away. Make sure your employees enjoy a smooth trip by articulating your company’s policies for clearly.
Do you want to take a test drive into the future of travel management? Look no further, as our cloud based corporate travel automation software suite Tripeur can give you complete control over the way you manage the travel experience and expenses of your employees with clutter-free and efficient travel policy adherence.