You Must Be Trippin'

Business Travel Trends to Watch

September 2 2009 by Chris McGinnis

If you are wondering what's going to happen next in the big wonderful world of business travel, then the National Business Travel Association's annual convention is a must. Last week, nearly 6,000 professionals (including yours truly) showed up in San Diego to gather information, sell, check out the competition, attend educational sessions, network and enjoy what has to be one of the best cities on earth to be sent on a business trip.

Here is some of what I was hearing on the tradeshow floor:

• There's a war brewing between technology and travel. While folks from travel-related companies at the convention were (of course) promoting the importance of face-to-face meetings, there was plenty of murmuring about what the eventual impact of virtual alternatives such as videoconferencing could have. Despite the worry, I believe the impact will remain minor, especially among unmanaged or independent travelers. As a matter of fact, we recently asked nearly 250 of Best Western's most frequent customers if they planned to use more virtual alternatives to business travel. Fewer than one in five said virtual alternatives are likely to replace business trips over the next six months.
• Leisure travel is recovering faster than business travel. Leisure travelers are responding like crazy to the many travel bargains on offer this year and that's expected to continue into the slower autumn months. Meanwhile, many corporate travelers are still subject to management edicts to reduce or eliminate trips. When business travel eventually recovers, the focus on value will remain strong for months or even years.
• Federal stimulus money is going to make business travel better. Current roadway improvement projects such as widening, paving and bridge-building are a big focus of the Obama Administration because of the jobs they create. That means business travelers who drive more than fly are going to be the first to enjoy the benefits of stimulus projects. At the convention, I attended a panel discussion that included representatives from the Dept. of Transportation where I definitely got the impression that the much-needed modernization of the air traffic control system will become a priority for the Administration only after unemployment numbers decrease.

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