Vision Travel releases business travel trends for 2016

Vision Travel has released its top eight Canadian business travel trends for 2016.

The corporate travel company anticipates the following: 

Ultra-long haul is back. Newer, lighter and faster airplanes paired with new routes means more international travel. Advanced airplanes, such as the Airbus A350, will be released over the next year and they’re ready for those ultra-long haul routes (some can fly for up to 19 hours straight). Both Air Canada and WestJet have embraced the trend, opening up longer haul routes, such as direct flights to Korea to about a dozen new cities in Europe.

Canada's super hub. Air Canada is making Toronto a super hub for international travel.

Technology-enabled independence. Travellers can research, plan, book and report their activities all on mobile, and travel managers can dive into detailed reports like they never have before. All this is making business travel more efficient, but also driving travellers to seek more personalized service, creating more demand for the expertise of travel management companies.

Frugality is the order of the day. Companies are becoming more frugal with their travel budgets and using innovative payment technologies, such as single-use payment credit cards, to keep employees within their spending allowances.

Tighter security, stricter travel policies. Companies are reviewing Duty of Care policies to ensure that any potential gaps in security are addressed. Companies will also be stricter in implementing travel policies, from booking with approved vendors to establishing protocols to mitigate any potential risks when travelling to high-risk destinations.

Millennials changing the market. Millennial business travellers are changing the travel industry, one app at a time. They’re putting pressure on companies to become more digitalized in everything from hotel travel apps to on-demand car service.

Business traveller by day, foodie by night. Business travellers have adopted the foodie trend and hotel restaurants are adapting their offer, typically by including locally-sourced ingredients that are sustainably produced.

Integrating wellness and health into the guest experience. An increasing numbers of business travellers are focusing on wellness while on the road. Hotels are responding with fitness programs, new menus, amenities and services like gyms, yoga classes, or even providing workout gear to guests. Some hotels are even equipping their suites with air purification devices to ensure guests with allergies and asthma breathe more easily.

For more information, visit visiontravel.ca.