Corporate Travel Got Even More Complicated in 2017
Photo Credit: This photo shows protests at John F. Kennedy International Airport over the Trump administration's first travel ban in January. The ban — a third version of which was allowed to go into effect late in the year — was one of many disruptive forces in business travel in 2017. Flickr / Beverly Yuen Thompson
Skift Take
Business travelers coped with a range of surprises, including disruptive natural disasters and sudden shifts in government policy. Expect more uncertainty.
From a controversial U.S. travel ban to questions about the implementation of Brexit to a devastating Atlantic hurricane season, the past year required business travelers to adapt and change course, sometimes at a moment’s notice.
At the same time, global economic growth finally looks healthy a decade after the financial crisis, according to the Skift 2018 Global Travel Market Outlook. High consumer and business confidence is likely to motivate businesses to hire employees and to encourage them to travel.
Skift asked executives in corporate travel — travel management companies, technology providers, organizations, and others — what affected their business in 2017 and the biggest industry breakthroughs this year. We also asked about their priorities for 2018, which will appear in a story in the coming weeks. They responded by email and in phone interviews.
A Year of Surprises
While tropical storms and other natural disasters are to be expected every year, many executives s
