Business travel has been hit head-on by the COVID crisis. Experts report that it will never pick up to 2019 levels, and it is commonly said that Zoom killed business travel. I personally believe that business travel will recover but with different priorities.
Although video conferencing may replace most internal meetings, it will mainly replace phone calls, not human interactions. Other factors, like high-speed trains or corporate approval processes, existed before the pandemics and have already affected business travel patterns. Also, sustainability was already on top of the air travel agenda before COVID, and it will remain there. We must look elsewhere for the future changes in business travel post pandemic.
Indeed, business travel may not get back to 2019 levels if nothing changes. COVID, work from home and video conference will have some impact on travel demand. At the same time, other trends are at play, like health, environment and personalized travel experience.
Information, care and personalization will restore traveler trust. New travel marketplaces will enable this personalization of travel to happen.
The recovery of business travel may happen sooner than we think. This time it will be sustainable and personalized.
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