How Much Is Business Travel Down?

By Robert Palmer

Business travel has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. With social distancing measures and travel restrictions in place, companies have had to drastically adjust their operations. Business travel has been one of the most heavily impacted areas, with many companies suspending all non-essential travel for their staff.

According to a survey conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), business travel spending was down by 75% in April 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. This is a staggering decline and reflects the huge impact of the pandemic on global economies. The survey also found that business travel is likely to remain weak for some time, with only 38% of respondents expecting any kind of recovery in 2021.

Businesses are having to rely on virtual meetings and other remote working solutions to stay connected with colleagues and customers. Video conferencing tools such as Zoom have become essential for staying in touch, and many businesses are investing heavily in these solutions to ensure they can continue operations despite the restrictions.

However, business travel will remain an important part of any organization’s operations – particularly those that need face-to-face contact with customers or partners. As such, businesses will need to find ways to safely manage their business trips when it becomes possible to do so.

Conclusion:

Business travel has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic with spending down 75% compared to 2019 levels. Companies have had to rely on virtual meetings and other remote working solutions as an alternative but business trips will remain an important part of any organization’s operations when it becomes possible again.