Global Biz Travel Needs to Brace for a Slower 2020

The current Brexit deadline is set for Oct. 31, and it may finally provide some sort of resolution to a debate that’s been up in the air for over three years. Of course the uncertainty isn’t going to end just because a final decision has been made. The UK may be undergoing a massive adjustment, and no one’s quite sure what exactly the future will look like.

Meanwhile, there is the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China, which is having major global ramifications. With everything that’s going on, it’s no wonder companies are becoming more cautious when it comes to corporate travel. People are looking for a sense of stability before making commitments, meaning 2020 may be a slow year in the business travel world.

The Global Business Travel Association and CWT have just come out with data on trends in global travel with big implications for business travelers. We look at the reasons behind the numbers and try to understand what they might mean for travel long-term.

Check out this story and many more below.

If you have any feedback about the newsletter or news tips, feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet @ikcarey.

— Isaac Carey, Travel Reporter

Featured Stories

What Political Unrest Means for Global Biz Travel in the Coming Year: It all comes down to uncertainty, making consumers more cautious and businesses more likely to cancel travel. Unfortunately this anxiety isn’t going to end any time soon.

Amadeus Finds Growth in Businesses Outside of Distribution: Amadeus deserves credit for making strides in reducing its dependence on its original core business of airline distribution. Few companies in any industry succeed in diversifying. But work remains to be done. Plus, the company may not be doing enough to capture Asia’s potential as a market.

United Invests in Clear to Offer Frequent Flyers Easier Screening: Clear doesn’t let you skip security screening at U.S. airport checkpoints, but its promise is to make the effort take less than five minutes consistently. Clearly United has heard from its most frequent customers that they value that consistency.

MakeMyTrip Grows Despite Turbulence in India’s Airline Sector: The past year has been a horror show for India’s aviation sector. So MakeMyTrip deserves kudos for continuing to grow its air ticketing and overall sales despite the upheaval. But executives deserve criticism for the company’s relentless unprofitability.

The Future Of Travel

Travel Advisors Act to Protect Clients From Resort Fee Surprises: Not only are resort fees an annoyance for hotel guests, but they put the onus on travel advisors to make sure clients are aware of what their stay will actually cost. Some advisors are fighting back by steering clients toward properties that don’t charge the fees.

Expedia President Aman Bhutani Is Leaving Amid Exec Reshuffle: Expedia is moving toward simplifying the various brands and organizational units it has acquired over the years, and changes such as these are to be expected.

Expedia Still Has High Hopes for a Vrbo Bounce — Next Year: When Expedia Group acquired HomeAway, now renamed Vrbo, in 2015, officials obviously knew they weren’t getting an Airbnb. Still, they may have obtained less than they bargained for because the journey so far has been very bumpy.

Skift Senior Enterprise Editor Andrew Sheivachman [[email protected]] curates the Skift Corporate Travel Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Thursday.

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