Business travel recovery slows as companies consider new approaches
GBTA surveying reveals businesses are exploring new focuses for business travel in the wake of Covid variants
Polling from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has revealed corporate hesitancy in international business travel, despite an overall willingness and optimism. Its September poll focused on how its membership of global travel partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders are exploring what it termed “post pandemic” travel, although GBTA did not reveal the number of respondents.
Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA, commented: “It’s not a surprise that for a second consecutive month, travel insurance buyers and suppliers continue to report ongoing caution among variants and travel restrictions as key factors impacting what would otherwise be a more accelerated return to business travel.
“The recent news regarding the opening up of the US to UK and EU business will hopefully alleviate some of the concerns and give a needed boost to the business travel ecosystem through year-end.”
International stalls, domestic flourishes
Some highlights from the GBTA polling include:
- 61 per cent of respondents allowed non-essential domestic business travel, while only 34 per cent engaged with non-essential international
- Most companies do not require Covid tests before or after – as many as 73 percent of US companies, 67 per cent European, and 39 per cent Canadian
- Few respondents – only 24 per cent – introduced new restrictions on non-essential business travel in light of Covid variants
- As many as 37 per cent of respondents said they are “more” or “much more” reliant on their travel management company than they were before the pandemic
Business travel remains a priority through the industry, and Virgin Money and Hood Group recently partnered to provide new travel insurance offerings.