It’s a convoluted story, but one that encapsulates where corporate travel is heading: ecosystems rather than dominant agencies that promise the world.
Whether HQs are phased out due to cost-cutting, restructuring or a genuine desire to adopt remote work policies, the net result is the same: more people looking for spaces to collaborate.
Virtual work startups are expecting a decline in travel for work across direct impact categories. But how can software be used as complementary to business travel instead of as a replacement?
The message for the travel industry is clear: Engage with company travel managers, understand their organization's culture and DNA, and help them redefine what business travel means after the pandemic.
Greece says it's all set to welcome tourists in May, as the EU has just unveiled a new Covid-19 pass for travelers. But will the fragmented bloc be able to agree on rights attached to the certificate in time to save the summer?
American Express GBT's top boss Paul Abbott knows that having a distributed workforce can boost business travel spending. The travel management giant itself went 90 percent remote in the U.S. several years ago, and it saw its business travel expenses rise.
With expense firms doubling down on travel management with acquisitions, is this genuine confidence in a corporate travel rebound or opportunistic purchases of distressed startups?