With the pending election comes the inevitable question of what the next leading party, or even coalition, will mean for the business travel community.
If you gaze deeper into the crystal ball, however, the question evolves into not how will government dictate business travel but how will the demands from digital savvy, environmentally conscious Generation Y determine the modes and policies of business travel in the next 10, 20, 30 years and beyond?
Research conducted by the GTMC over the last 12 months sheds light on some of the answers to these questions and offers some intriguing insights into what the millennial demographic of 18 to 29 year olds will expect. This includes and what sets them apart from their (dare I say it older) colleagues, particularly in rail travel.
Comfort over cost
It is convenience and comfort ahead of cost that is the primary concern for 18-29 year-olds. Nearly a third (28%) typically travel in first class when using trains for business, compared to an average of just 16% of all those surveyed.
Many would argue that Generation Y is the most privileged generation in terms of the facilities available to them and this level of comfort permeates across all areas of their life, including work and business travel. Reassuringly for both the rail operators and TMCs alike, Generation Y is prepared to pay the price as a third of those surveyed confirmed they were in favour of above-inflation ticket price increases if it meant less overcrowding.
Specifically for rail travel, some 80% of under 30s also confirmed they wanted to see bike storage on trains, compared to just over half of all other respondents. Again this is a generation that has grown up with an acute awareness of the importance of the environment and physical health. It's not enough to avoid using the car. Gyms, the rise of lifestyle running events and fitness personalities all place an expectation on Gen Y that they will both be responsible and maintain the peak of physical fitness. As a result, it comes as no surprise that bikes are a key part of the daily travel routine. Yet they still expect there to be a degree of choice available to them when opting for a particular mode of transport that can accommodate their lifestyle, bike racks for example.
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Digital connectivity a must
The digitally-savvy generation wants a quiet place to turn on, log in and download at speed and not just on the rail network. Both TMCs and transport providers need to be aware of this when planning the infrastructure of future business travel. This means having the technology in place to manage a booking effectively and efficiently all the way through from first enquiry to the final return journey. Indeed in this context Gen Y could be regarded as the 'digital first' generation when choosing modes of communication and arranging their lives both in and out of work.
How that interaction takes place for the next generation is expected to evolve at an unprecedented rate with new developments in technology and communication platforms. Who knows what the next generation's smartphone will be? We are already seeing movement towards wearable devices such as the Apple Watch. Certainly this generation has grown up being educated and trained in a fully automated world where most tasks can be achieved at the swipe of a screen.
There is also a belief that connectivity is a right and should be universally available — no one likes to wait for a download or to update social media with their latest status. This is especially so for Gen Y, for whom checking Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is now as routine as brushing teeth in the morning (if not more so). If that means paying more for the price of a ticket, so be it.
Supporting established and emerging markets
We also frequently hear about the opportunities for economic growth and development in emerging markets across the world. To protect the economic future of younger generations the time to travel is now and never has the role of a TMC been more important in facilitating this. Hand in hand with this is having the tools and technology in place to facilitate the business travel to these markets. As an island nation, Britain is reliant on this to ensure its future economic growth. Greater infrastructure to both established and emerging markets is essential. Gen Y is used to working on a global scale, as part of global teams albeit from different locations and business travel is key to facilitating this.
Whatever form this new technology takes and wherever in the world it takes us to, for a TMC to be a true partner to Gen Y it is essential to adapt and be ready for the fastest ever pace of change to meet the demands of business travel in the brave new world.