More demand for meeting space has driven up prices around the world, giving upscale hotels more leverage during negotiations. Meanwhile, some planners are being left behind even as event technology catches on among more ambitious organizations.
Even big travel management companies, which usually resist change, are planning ahead to better anticipate traveler and travel manager needs. No one's quite sure when this more connected and insightful future will arrive, though.
Lyft is playing catch up in the corporate travel sector, and partnerships with the major global travel management companies are a good way to increase adoption. Uber's lead, however, remains enormous.
After a frank conversation with Carlson Wagonlit Travel CEO Kurt Ekert about the company's past shortcomings and goals for the future, we're more interested than ever before to see the new innovations developed to empower business travelers.
Better personalizing booking and travel tools for business travelers is something of a holy grail in corporate travel. Time will tell if Carlson Wagonlit Travel's newfound focus on technology will be effective.