Business travel’s new normal will take time to emerge

Egencia's Manuel Brachet talks about what travel managers will have to think about as business travel gets used to a 'new normal'.

Over the past four months, as we’ve collectively faced the threat of this global pandemic, the idea that “we are all connected” has never rung more true.

Yes, we’ve found new ways to connect as we’ve been cut off from one another during lockdown, but pixels will never replace person-to-person contact. Statistics show that a strong travel culture is linked with innovation, growth and overall competitive advantage in large part because of the empathy engendered when we’re face-to-face – without a screen between us. 

So what will that balance look like when it comes to doing business in a post-pandemic world?

Looking for signs
As the world goes back to work, we can look for trends from east to west to help predict what circumstances we might face in the weeks and months ahead. For instance, according to STR, 87 per cent of hotels in mainland China are now open, compared to around 32 per cent on 28 March. 

Restrictions are easing in Europe too. French businesses are reopening, and Germans are even celebrating the official return of football. In the US, the Chamber of Commerce unveiled an interactive map to help businesses understand which states will open when, with nearly half the states getting the green light to reopen. 

But, even as restrictions ease, it won’t be business as usual. In terms of how we gather to do business in the near future, we’re likely to see a hybrid of digital connection and domestic travel. 

The further afield the journey, the more complications (and costs) may arise, which is why we may see companies focusing business travel in markets where they have a team on the ground and who are able to maintain those in-person connections with domestic clients, partners and suppliers.

Redefining ROI
Companies will need to get granular on what “essential travel” means for them, and it will be different for each company. It’s important to include the new factors at play when considering the full cost – and potential return – of a trip.

For instance, several countries have implemented quarantine periods for travel. So if you have a client to see in Hong Kong, Germany, the UK, or Rhode Island, for example, you’ll need to factor in a 14-day quarantine period on arrival (and possibly on return). 

On top of that, quarantine regulations and border reopenings are likely to be different between countries too, with some neighbouring nations agreeing ‘travel bubbles’. Countries like Australia and New Zealand, as well as China and South Korea, are already looking at what border travel between them could look like with regards to business travel. 

We could see a scenario where business travellers between two particular countries are exempt from the 14-day quarantine period and instead undergo screening 72 hours before they travel and again when they arrive, followed by a shorter 48-hour quarantine period. 

The UK and France have had similar conversations on movement related to their two borders – although an agreement was swiftly reversed – and the European Union is expected to share details of cross-border travel later this month.

Pre-trip approval is likely to become a huge part of travel policy across organisations, particularly as the end-to-end cost of a trip will go up, as will the strategic value of a trip to the business. 

Now is also a good time to come up with a plan to maximise time on the ground in case of quarantine, making sure travellers are equipped to work from a hotel room for instance, or building in a leisure policy to include downtime for extended stays. 

Evolving travel needs
Research shows that business travellers are ready to get back on the road. Of 1,000 travel professionals surveyed by the GBTA, 51 per cent said they expect to have a green light to travel by the end of June. 

But in order to do so safely, we can expect to see more mandates around booking compliance and preferred suppliers. Being able to track where travellers are globally – and communicate with them – is paramount. 

Travellers will need 24/7 customer service, to be kept in touch with real-time alerts and be able to self-serve their travel requirements to keep up with a rapidly evolving travel environment. 

Everything from restricted routes to hotel closures and evolving quarantine periods will likely be fluid for the foreseeable future, so being able to self-serve will be a much greater need than it was in the past.

Much has changed irrevocably in the last four months,but one thing hasn’t: smart organisations will still approach business travel as a strategic investment and aim to align their travel programme within the “new normal” to achieve their business goals.