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We don’t have a magic ball, and we’re not Mystic Meg. But, thanks to the latest business trends and reports, we have a pretty strong indication of what the future of business travel looks like, and it’s quite revealing indeed. 

But before we get into it, let’s be clear that business travel refers to individuals traveling for meetings or events for instance. Whilst workforce travel tends to be crew or individuals on location remotely. It’s possible that your company has one or both these types of travelers. Either way these predictions are likely to affect all types of traveler in the coming months and years ahead. 

 

Greater justification for business travel 

All signs suggest that business travel is coming back, albeit, not to the levels the industry once enjoyed. As businesses continue to tighten their belts, and with facilities like Zoom and Microsoft Teams proving that we can connect while being apart, the justification for business travel will continue to be a challenge. This means that fewer trips are likely, with greater expectations on them. It’s also expected that luxury travel and extravagant accommodation will be replaced with more affordable options, as we enter a more frugal time. 

 

Co-working spaces replace regional offices 

With hybrid working coming into its own and businesses looking to reduce overheads, regional offices will have less presence as we move forward. At the same time, we’re seeing a boom in co-working shared office spaces, which are expected to grow annually by 21%. Workforce travel is being shaped by this, as shared office spaces become increasingly viable options for remote workers where there is no regional office presence. This provides some ‘home comforts’ and essential office facilities to access when working away for business, as well as offering an affordable ‘pay as you go’ solution to businesses. 

 

Self-service bookings 

One of the emerging business trends is self-service bookings, where companies allow employees to book their own travel requirements. This can help to reduce internal administration, and keep costs in check. It also relinquishes some of the control back to the employee, useful for employees who spend much of their time on the road. It’s something we’ll see more of in all areas of business, not just travel, as companies turn to travel platforms in lieu of travel agents. 

 

Going green 

Sustainable travel is a big business trend that’s only set to grow according to ABTA. As companies and employees become more conscious of their carbon footprint, they will choose “climate-smart travel” that offers more efficient, sustainable and eco-friendly solutions. Better still if it helps to reach emissions targets. You can also expect to see carbon offsetting and time off for colleagues wishing to volunteer towards community projects. And for travelers themselves, the paperless revolution will continue, with digital tickets, fingerprint scanning and face recognition becoming the norm as artificial intelligence grows in its prominence in the travel community. 

 

Tighter cybersecurity 

In response to online security and the state of the world right now, one of the business trends to emerge is greater IT security. Businesses will need to invest heavily in firewalls, IT support and robust software, especially for workforce travel where colleagues do not have the luxury of an in-house team to instantly come to their aid. 

 

Safety first 

As we enter a new era of business travel, new risks emerge that businesses will need to address. Duty of care needs to extend to covid-safe precautions as well as testing and guidance around best practice such as vaccines and mask wearing – yes that’s very much here to stay. That’s not all, extreme weather events, terrorism, political unrest, and the risk of cybersecurity remain ever-present, and a corporate travel policy should reflect the changing needs of its employees.  

The hospitality industry will also need to transform its proposition. Insight from McKinsey suggests that hotels could let guests decide on frequency and time of housekeeping, as well as virtual trainers to help with fitness practices. Just a few things to look forward to.  

 

Group retreats 

With remote working, hybrid working, and flexible working firmly here to stay, there will be less face-to-face meetings with colleagues, especially in the office. Otherwise known as the ‘Great Reconnect’ this business trend sees companies hosting team retreats over a number of days away from an office space. This coming together will be more of a work-meets-social occasion and opportunity to reconnect as a team, even if it happens just once a year or so. 

 

To learn more about how Roomex can take your business into the future, or see how self-service travel can enhance your business, visit our website now.  

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Sophia Walker
Post by Sophia Walker
July 13, 2022
Sophia Walker is a freelance content writer with a passion for travel, wellbeing and storytelling. With over 15 years’ experience in the industry, her work has been published extensively in print and online. This includes The Huffington Post and various corporate websites and blogs. Sophia is often found in far-flung destinations, when not in her native home of London.

 

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