It’s
fair to say that every sector of the travel industry looks at least slightly
different today than it did three years ago, while the world was still “pre-pandemic.”
But
arguably none has been more impacted than business travel, with the crisis
shifting the frequency and type of travel for many companies, the expectations
of business travelers and for both, the awareness of issues such as
sustainability and cost - both monetary and personal.
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According
to the Global Business Travel Association’s October Business Travel Recovery
Poll, on average, travel managers estimate their company’s domestic business
travel volume is back to 63% and international business travel is back to 50%
of their 2019 pre-pandemic levels. In addition, 26% of respondents estimate
their international business travel volume has recovered to more than 70% of
their company’s pre-pandemic levels. And they expect more growth in 2023 – 78%
says the number of trips will be higher or much higher this year compared to
2022.
The systems powering the industry are changing as well. Jeff Klee, co-founder
and CEO of
Amtrav
, and Jeff Berk, co-founder and CEO of
Tripkicks
both say they
see not just a willingness but a desire to innovate and to create a better
experience for travelers from stakeholders across the industry.
During
a conversation in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference, Klee
and Berk discuss where they see the greatest opportunities for innovation and what’s
at the top of their to-do lists for this year. Watch the full discussion with
PhocusWire’s Mitra Sorrells below.
Executive Interview: Trends in business travel