GBTA notes double-digit surge in business travel since February
IMEX returns to human connections in Frankfurt next month
The global business events community will gather in Frankfurt next month for IMEX 2022, with strong interest radiating from both suppliers and buyers.
An international range of suppliers – destinations, venues, technology providers, incentive companies and more – will participate at the show, with confirmed representation from Germany, France, Spain, Croatia, Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas, the Philippines and Taiwan at press time.
Parts of the business events sector have forged ahead in the past two years with investments in refurbishments, new venues and enhanced experiences. IMEX in Frankfurt will be the stage for some major launches such as Ethiopia’s new convention bureau, new venues, new professional development programmes and new industry partnerships.
Well over 2,500 buyers from 70 countries have registered to date, and hundreds of global buyers continue to register each week. An international mix of buyers from agencies, corporates and associations, plus independent professionals have all confirmed participation at the show.
Show attendees can expect bespoke education for associations, corporates and agencies, in addition to business meetings. Some of the dedicated learning opportunities can be found at Exclusively Corporate, which will feature expert presenters from SAP, Bolt Financial and Siemens Healthineers; Agency Directors Forum, which is aimed at agency planners; and Association Focus, which will deliver learning and networking exclusively for association professionals.
Well-being elements are also built into the programme. Experts from the Listening Collective will bring their own powerful brand of coaching with a dedicated space, The Listening Lab, to help attendees develop their own ‘listening superpowers’.
The Be Well Lounge, presented by Inner Sense and supported by Costa Rica DMC and Weichlein Tours, offers a space for show attendees to pause, unwind and recharge.
Attendees craving an energetic start to the day will enjoy the 5km IMEXrun, developed by VOQIN, along – the banks of Frankfurt’s River Main.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, said: “While doing business and powering our sector’s growth sits at the core of the show, IMEX in Frankfurt stands for so much more. Inspiration is one of our core values and we’re set to deliver this through a creative and cutting-edge show experience. An unforgettable experience that helps attendees reconnect and revive, supercharge their skillset and – importantly – have fun! By coming together – and celebrating 20 years of IMEX in Frankfurt – our community is set to create many memorable moments.”
IMEX in Frankfurt will run from May 31 to June 2, 2022.
Accor sharpens hybrid meetings solution across the Pacific
Accor has launched ALL CONNECT, a hybrid meetings concept supported by a range of technology partners including Microsoft Teams, Events Air, Encore and AV Dynamics, at several properties across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
ALL CONNECT meetings take place on a range of platforms, including Microsoft Teams, where attendees connect and engage virtually across multiple locations as if they were in the same room.
ALL CONNECT is integrated with Accor’s ALL – Accor Live Limitless Meeting Planner loyalty programme, allowing members to earn Reward points for each meeting booked. Points can be used to part pay future meetings or redeem unforgettable experiences such as catering, sport, overnight stays, wellness, entertainment and more.
ALL Meeting Planner members will earn triple Reward points on eligible events held and paid for by December 31, 2022. Members only need to register and book by May 31, 2022 at participating hotels in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Ala Moana Hotel Honolulu.
Patrick Andersen steps into CEO role at CWT
CWT has appointed president and chief commercial officer Patrick Andersen as its next president and chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2022.
Andersen takes over from Michelle McKinney Frymire, who has decided to step down from her roles at the company.
Prior to his current position, Andersen served as chief strategy officer and before that, president of the Americas. He joined CWT in 2008.
Cathay Pacific pilots corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel programme
Cathay Pacific is launching what is said to be Asia’s first corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programme, to bring corporate clients the opportunity to cut their carbon footprint from business travel or airfreight.
Joining the airline on this programme are eight launch customers – AIA, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), DHL Global Forwarding, HSBC, Kintetsu World Express (KWE), PwC China, Standard Chartered, and Swire Pacific.
Cathay Pacific CEO Augustus Tang said the airline is moving towards “more substantial use of SAF, especially in Asia”.
In 2021, the airline was among the first carriers in the world to announce a target of 10 per cent SAF for total fuel use by 2030.
“We have made significant progress since then and are pleased that uplifting SAF from HKIA (Hong Kong International Airport) is now a reality with the strong support of the local authorities and fuel suppliers,” aid Tang.
There has been “enthusiastic response from other corporates” towards the corporate SAF programme, according to Tang, who added that “climate change is a global challenge and we need to work together to tackle it”.
“We see the launch of this corporate SAF programme as an important step for us to engage other like-minded organisations, and a first step in sending an important demand signal to the SAF supply chain that there is firm interest in the region, not only from airlines, but also the aviation value-chain all the way to end users for both passenger and cargo transportation,” he said.
The SAF used for the launch of this programme is made from used cooking oil and animal fat waste, with fuel supplies coming from PetroChina and Shell.
India sees renewed zest for domestic business travel
Domestic business travel across India is fast gaining pace, driven by IT, FMCG and banking companies.
The strong uptick in corporate movements has enable Thomas Cook (India) & SOTC to close its March business at 90 per cent of 2019 levels, revealed Indiver Rastogi, president & group head – global business travel.
“Corporate travel is witnessing a definitive acceleration (due to) easing of travel restrictions and economic growth gaining momentum,” he said.
According to some Indian hoteliers, the hybrid work arrangements undertaken by Indian companies are helping to fuel the rise in domestic business travel demand.
Sarbendra Sarkar, founder & managing director, Cygnett Hotels and Resorts, said the “hybrid style of working…has opened the doors for cross-city meetings”.
Sarkar is confident that business travel bookings will continue to gain pace and “reach a high by year-end”.
Clear signs of improving business, according to Sarkar, are the “good ADRs” commanded by hotels now as well as rising airfares.
Key metro cities like New Delhi and Mumbai are leading the demand for corporate travel.
Rastogi also pointed out that while uptick is evident across key Indian hubs, Mumbai is witnessing the fastest recovery for his company’s business travel segment.
Sarkar noted that business travel is a critical component of the hospitality business, as it “eases the pressure of inconsistent leisure traffic”.
Singapore drops pre-departure tests for fully-vaccinated entrants
Travellers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer need to take any Covid-19 tests to enter Singapore from April 26, as the country lowers her Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) alert levels.
This decision by the Ministry of Health follows on from the launch of the new Vaccinated Travel Framework, which has allowed all fully vaccinated travellers to enter Singapore without serving a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or applying for entry approvals.
Entry requirements for non-fully vaccinated travellers remain unchanged, with the exception for non-fully vaccinated children aged 12 and below. Non-fully vaccinated travellers must clear a pre-departure test two days before departure for Singapore, undergo a seven-day SHN, and take a PCR test at the end of their SHN period.
Singapore’s move to lower her DORSCON level from orange to yellow is a reflection of the improving local Covid-19 situation. The orange level – the second highest alert – was triggered on February 7, 2020.
The DORSCON yellow level comes with the removal of several restrictions, including group size limits at private gatherings, safe distancing measures, and capacity limits for large-scale events of more than 1,000 people, with effect from April 26.
Check-in at venues and facilities using Safe Entry and TraceTogether tokens will also no longer be required from April 26.
From brick-and-mortar to metaverse
Even as tradeshows, corporate meetings and exhibitions make a face-to-face comeback, the popularity for virtual events has not waned, where in certain instances, companies and organisations have chosen to create virtual environments instead.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of customers coming to us wanting to replicate their in-person environments in the metaverse. Whether that be individual offices or entire corporate campuses for large organisations, businesses want to replicate their brick-and-mortar spaces in the metaverse, to allow them to host events and conferences in familiar environments,” Danny Stefanic, CEO of MootUp, shared with TTGmice.
MootUp is a metaverse virtual events platform, which is able to create virtual worlds to host meetings and events in the metaverse, providing an immersive, 3D experience. Within the platform are over one billion avatar-style combinations, with a large library for different skin, hair and eye colour, allowing attendees to create an avatar that can show their personality more accurately.
“Businesses are shifting to remote working practices, but they still need that central space where colleagues can meet up, engage and collaborate.
“It’s what I call ‘un-remote working’. While we might not be physically in the same room or building, we can still be in the same virtual room – this is the very essence of the metaverse concept,” he elaborated.
MootUp was born in June 2020 when Stefanic noticed a gap in the virtual reality market. It is a spinoff of LearnBrite – a platform that allows the creation of 3D simulations, experiences, learning modules, micro-learning and instructor-led training.
MootUp’s launch was also buoyed by the pandemic, as organisations and event planners searched for new and creative ways to host events and keep its stakeholders engaged.
One of the biggest challenges, however, is “overcoming the public’s general misunderstanding of what the metaverse actually is”, opined Stefanic.
“Businesses like MootUp have a responsibility to ensure the public can access the metaverse and embrace virtual reality – just like they did when the Internet first launched. Importantly, we are also showing how the metaverse can be practically used by companies across all sectors and industries.”
That is why, unlike other platforms, MootUp does not require users to download software or rely on specialised devices. It runs on a browser and on any device, with users able to access the metaverse with a single click on a web link.
“The majority of metaverse platforms required users to download additional software in order to access virtual environments. This was a significant stumbling block for many people navigating the metaverse for the first time,” he explained.
Aside from a wider audience reach and being able to attend a conference in the comfort of one’s living room, another key benefit is the metaverse’s “ability to improve inclusivity”.
“For instance, we can host events in more than 50 different languages, meaning there are no barriers for attendees joining from different countries. We also found that 3D avatars can help users who are sometimes reluctant to speak up in real life feel more comfortable doing so in a virtual space. These benefits cannot be underestimated.”
Moreover, virtual event hosts and organisations will be able to obtain keener insights into attendee engagement and participation, which is “data that can be leveraged when securing sponsorships”.
There is also the case for sustainability, as concern over personal carbon footprints are on the rise, so “having a suitable virtual reality alternative that requires no travel is important”, Stefanic opined.
When asked about MootUp’s future plans, Stefanic shared the company’s top priority at the moment is the launch of Hyperspace.
Hyperspace is the 3D engine that powers MootUp and is the first native web 3.0 Metaverse for Business platform. It offers a suite of customisable tools, which also includes LearnBrite and Universal Avatars – a service offering globally unique WebXR avatars for use on the Internet.
The company has also launched its Digital Twin capability, which will allow users to recreate their physical locations in the metaverse using scanning technology.
Hong Kong eases barriers to non-residents
Foreigners who are non-residents of Hong Kong will finally be allowed to enter the special administrative region of China from next month.
They will be subject to the same arrival procedure as residents, which calls for a quarantine of seven days.
The government also said in a statement on April 22 that airlines carrying infected Covid-19 patients will face a shorter suspension of five days, down from the current seven.
Hong Kong’s borders have been tightly shut since the pandemic hit in 2020, and her reopening stance has remained cautious even as the rest of Asia moved to resume international travel.
The latest revisions are part of Hong Kong’s progressive reopening which started on April 1, 2022.
Hong Kong International Travel Expo shifts to August
Hong Kong’s fifth wave of Covid infections have forced International Travel Expo (ITE) 2022 to move from June to August 18-21.
ITE 2022 incorporates the 36th ITE (Leisure) and the 17th MICE Travel Expo.
Prior to the postponement, ITE 2022 had secured participation by repeat and new exhibiting national and regional tourism boards and companies from destinations such as Japan, Thailand and Canada.
Show organiser, TKS Exhibition Services, expects stronger exhibitor interest as more destinations waive quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated international travellers.
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Business travel is surging forward, international travel is returning, and despite new challenges, industry recovery is entrenched, observes the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in its latest April Business Travel Recovery Poll.
In addition, corporate travel policies are undergoing a revamp and employees are broadly willing to travel for business, found the survey.
“We’re seeing significant gains in the return of business travel, especially over the past month or two. GBTA’s global data shows more companies are allowing domestic and now also international employee travel.
“Booking levels and travel spending continue to return, and there’s high levels of optimism and employee willingness to travel for business. This comes even as the industry faces challenges beyond Covid-19, including rising fuel prices, inflation, supply chain disruption and war in Ukraine,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA.
Double-digit increments, international travel jumps
Companies that report they at least sometimes allow non-essential domestic business travel has increased to 86%, up from 73% in GBTA’s February poll. International travel made a big jump with 74% reporting their company now allows it, up 26 percentage points from February.
Less cancellations, more travel
Companies continue to resume international business travel, with only 45% saying they have cancelled or suspended most or all international business trips, 27 points less than the 71% in February. In addition, only one in five respondents (20%) report they have cancelled or suspended most or all domestic business travel, compared to 33% in February.
Of the companies that previously cancelled or suspended most or all trips to a specific region/country, 75% plan to resume domestic travel and 52% international travel in the next one to three months.
Corporate travel bookings return
A majority (88%) of suppliers and TMCs report their bookings have increased in the prior month. This is much higher than the share that said the same in February (45%). On average, travel buyers say their company’s travel bookings are currently at 56% of the pre-pandemic level, up 22 points from February.
Spending trends up
When asked to characterise their company’s spending on business travel compared to 2019, on average, respondents expect their company will be back to 59% of their pre-pandemic spend by the end of 2022, and will reach 79% by the end of 2023.
Back in the office and on the road
Four in ten (41%) GBTA stakeholders say their company’s return to the office directly correlates to the return to business travel. Over half (55%) of respondents say their company has implemented a permanent back-to-office policy.
One-quarter (23%) report their employees will be full-time in-office, and over half (52%) will be hybrid. Twenty-six per cent report their company has not yet announced a permanent policy. A smaller segment (12%) say employees will have the choice whether to return to the office or not.
Travel willingness climbs
Nine in ten (94%) GBTA buyers and procurement professionals feel their employees are “willing” or “very willing’ to travel for business in the current environment, up from 82% in the February poll. No respondent in any region of the world feels their employees are not willing to travel for business in the current environment.
Changing policies
The pandemic has forced many companies to rethink their business travel program. A majority (80%) of travel managers report the pandemic has driven changes to their company’s travel policies in some capacity, including: fewer business trips overall (39%); employees take fewer business trips, but with more goals assigned to each trip (37%); more trip approval requirements (24%); and a re-evaluation of how employees travel for business (23%).
Inflation impact
Many companies are increasing their business travel spend in the wake of inflation. Forty-one percent report they have increased employee travel spending for air travel, 34% for hotel stays, 33% for car rentals, and 26% for ride share and taxis.
Sustainable considerations
Corporate travel managers recognizs sustainability will impact their travel programme. The most frequently cited expectations include fewer trips per employee overall (54%) and longer, multi-purpose business trips (43%), and more rail and multi-modal options (34%). However, most travel buyers (61%) do not expect their company will restrict the frequency of flying in business class.
Getting used to travel
As employees return to business travel, many have faced hurdles as they get back in the air and on the road. GBTA stakeholders most often report they and/or their colleagues have experienced confusion on travel restrictions/travel documentation (63%), are more anxious or stressed about business travel (45%), or have had challenges when navigating airports and security rules (36%).
Mask on planes – who should decide?
Global sentiment around mask mandates on commercial airplanes varies. Two in five GBTA stakeholders (41%) say governments should require passengers to wear masks on airplanes, while a third (32%) feel each airline should be allowed to decide on this. One in five (20%) feel governments should prohibit mask mandates, which is to allow passengers to fly on any airline without masks.